May everything go smoothly.
Upon entering the territory of Cangmin Mountain, your vision is immediately filled with an endless expanse of pure white.
This mountain seems to transcend the cycle of the seasons, shrouded in snow all year round.
At the foot of the mountain, layers of snow piled up, accumulated over countless years, and made a slight "crunching" sound when stepped on.
Dressed in simple white, Yun Qian's figure appeared even more ethereal and otherworldly against the vast expanse of snow. She paused and looked around, a hint of barely perceptible doubt flashing across her delicate brows. Whether it was just her imagination or not, she felt that this year's snow seemed heavier and thicker than in previous years, covering the mountains, rocks, and forests with an even heavier silver coat.
Inside Mingli Hall, the warm fire in the stove gently dispelled the chill that seeped in through the cracks in the door.
Yun Qian, Bai Chuan, and Qin Wu sat around an old-fashioned wooden table. The flickering firelight illuminated their faces, each with a different expression.
Yun Qian was calm and composed, Bai Chuan's face was still sickly pale, but he looked more serious than usual, while Qin Wu's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, revealing his usual coldness.
Qin Wu made a hand seal with his fingertips, and a stream of light flashed. The sect leader token, which represented the authority of Cangmin Mountain, floated above the wooden table, radiating a warm and ancient luster.
“A few days ago, the sect leader’s token suddenly showed unusual activity,” Qin Wu’s deep voice broke the silence in the hall. “After investigating, I learned that the once-in-a-century Immortal Sect Competition is about to begin. Our Cangmin Mountain… is also among those invited.”
The Immortal Sect Grand Competition is the most anticipated event among all the major sects in the cultivation world, held once every hundred years. Its venue is selected by the Heavenly Mandate Stele, which contains the rules of Heaven, and the list of sects qualified to participate is also displayed on the Heavenly Mandate Stele. The tokens of each sect leader are connected to the Heavenly Mandate Stele's energy, which is why the token in Qin Wu's hand sensed its presence beforehand.
Upon hearing this, Yun Qian and Bai Chuan exchanged a fleeting glance before simultaneously turning their gazes to Qin Wu, awaiting his next words. According to the competition rules, each sect must send at least three disciples whose bone age does not exceed five hundred years to participate.
“Three people, five hundred years old…” Bai Chuan coughed lightly, his fist pressed against his lips, his tone slightly amused. “These conditions seem to be precisely tailored to the number of disciples that are currently left in our Cangmin Mountain.”
A moment of silence fell over the hall. The rules were so clear, almost tailor-made for them, leaving them no way to avoid them.
"We...?" Qin Wu looked up at Yun Qian, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry that he himself was unaware of. Even though he had grown rapidly over the past hundred years and his cultivation had become increasingly profound, he still subconsciously relied on his senior sister when faced with decisions concerning the future of the sect.
They had to attend this grand competition among the immortal sects. However, Yun Qian would never overstep her bounds in making this decision.
Since the sect leader's token is in Qin Wu's hands, he should act as the sect leader, and he should be the one to make the final decision on this matter.
Yun Qian's gaze remained calm, and she said nothing, her attitude clear.
Seeing his senior sister's reaction, Qin Wu turned his gaze to Bai Chuan. But Bai Chuan quickly turned her head away, pretending to study the ice flowers condensed on the window frame, perfectly avoiding any eye contact with him.
Very good... Second Senior Brother's attitude is quite clear.
The entire burden fell on Qin Wu, the youngest and least senior member of the family. His thin lips pressed together, his eyes shifting several times as he weighed the pros and cons of seclusion versus engagement with the world. Finally, he took a deep breath, his gaze hardening, and said in a resolute voice, "Let's go!"
Cangmin Mountain has been living in seclusion for a long time; it's time to go out and see what the cultivation world is really like now.
Yun Qian and Bai Chuan had no objection to this. The three of them agreed on a date to descend the mountain and then left the warm and inviting Mingli Hall one after another.
Outside the door, the snow on Cangmin Mountain continued to fall heavily, showing no sign of stopping.
Having decided to descend the mountain, necessary preparations are essential.
Qin Wunian took the initiative and reliably took on the heavy responsibility of preparing all the necessary supplies and miscellaneous matters.
Baichuan returned to his herbal medicine hut, which was filled with the aroma of herbs, and began to inventory and refine the various elixirs that might be needed for the trip. In the grand competition of the immortal sects, sparring and competition were inevitable, and injuries were commonplace; it was always good to be prepared.
The two junior brothers were busy with their own things, while Yun Qian, as the senior sister, had some free time.
She arrived at the forbidden area behind the mountain and stood for a long time before the heavy, tightly closed stone door. Snowflakes fell on her hair and shoulders, but she seemed oblivious. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the cold stone door to see what lay beyond.
The future of this journey is uncertain, and the outcome is unpredictable.
They are about to leave this secluded, icy world to face real storms and challenges.
Yun Qian's eyes churned with complex emotions, a mixture of worry, determination, and a hint of barely perceptible confusion. She finally raised her gaze to the gray sky where snowflakes continued to fall, and whispered, as if in prayer, "May everything go smoothly."
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away at the foot of Tianyan Mountain, Huaiyang City is experiencing a once-in-a-century hustle and bustle.
With the Immortal Clan Grand Competition approaching, cultivators from all directions are gathering, making this city a popular stopover point for many sects to rest and recuperate.
The city streets were bustling with traffic and people, with cultivators of all kinds moving about. However, most of the local people remained calm and unfazed. Over the past few hundred years, Tianyan Mountain had grown in prominence and was now a powerful force in the cultivation world. Its disciples frequently traveled down the mountain to Huaiyang City, and the common people had long since lost their initial curiosity and awe towards these cultivators with supernatural powers.
Amidst the bustling street vendors and throngs of people, a simple, unadorned carriage slowly entered Huaiyang City, attracting little attention.
"Sir, please come in! Are you here for a meal or to stay the night?" As soon as I stepped into a rather tidy-looking inn, the quick-witted waiter greeted me warmly.
Qin Wu remained expressionless, placing a full ingot of silver into the young man's hand, and said succinctly, "I need three superior rooms."
Upon the arrival of these wealthy guests, the waiter's face immediately lit up with a smile, and his voice rose several decibels: "Very well! Please come upstairs, esteemed guests. We'll make the arrangements for you right away!"
Thanks to the medical fees Baichuan has accumulated over nearly a century of practicing medicine at the foot of the mountain, the three men from Cangmin Mountain are quite wealthy for this trip and do not need to be too frugal in terms of food, lodging and other expenses.
After settling her luggage, Yun Qian's gaze was drawn to a corner of the lobby.
A sprightly old storyteller, his hair and beard all white, was recounting an unknown legend with great eloquence. She stopped to listen, her attention gradually drawn into the dramatic and captivating tale told by the old man.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
