"Cough, cough!"
A heavy cough wracked Liu Tianyun's body, and crimson blood seeped from his arm, spreading across his black robe.
Upon closer inspection, faint flickers of lightning could be seen within the bloodstains.
"Master, please take care of yourself."
Though no one was present, a soft voice echoed. It was like a gentle breeze, yet it could not smooth the coldness on Liu Tianyun's face.
"Scram!"
"Master..." The tail end of the word trembled, delicate and helpless, as if laced with hooks.
Liu Tianyun's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly. A lotus bloomed in his palm, and he tossed it forward.
"Ah!"
A scream of agony erupted from ahead. Amidst the shadows of grass and trees, a wisp of grey smoke shot out from the darkness. Under the pursuit of the red lotus fire, it dispersed and then reformed, finally drifting far away to become a beautiful woman kneeling on the ground.
Her shoulders trembled, and she said in terror, "Master, please calm your anger."
Even in her disheveled state of panic and distress, she was exceptionally beautiful. Her autumn pupils were like clear water, her nose like a jade bridge, and her eyes like a bright moon. Her white robes clung to her slender waist, and when she looked up with soft, uneasy eyes, she instantly evoked a desire to protect.
Seeing her like this, Liu Tianyun turned his head away in disgust. "Change back."
The woman's body trembled. She bit her lip, then transformed back into a wisp of grey smoke.
"Go to the Red Maple Mountain Range. I need to see Hui Ling."
"Yes."
...
Shen Qi Mountain had truly entered winter. Snowflakes fell softly and gracefully, and within half a day, Anping City was enveloped in a world of white.
"The mortal world is just the mortal world. Look at those discarded slaves; it's just snowing, and they're all excited as if they were fools."
Lu Fuping walked along the street, pointing at the laughing and playing youths with umbrellas not far away.
After cultivators reached the Mahayana stage, they could comprehend the rules of heaven and earth and establish a peculiar connection with them, thus influencing the climate of a small area. In the blink of an eye, they could see wind and snow, and with a glance upwards, they could enjoy the peach blossoms. However, most of the time, cultivators preferred to control the climate to the most suitable spring.
"Sect Master Lu, are you calling this venerable one a fool?"
A young girl not far away suddenly straightened up and took a step forward, instantly appearing before Lu Fuping. It was none other than Bai Shengyi!
Lu Fuping's expression changed. "Why are you here?"
Having suffered defeats at Bai Shengyi's hands multiple times, Lu Fuping both hated and feared her. She surged with spiritual power in her palm, looking around. If it were only Bai Shengyi, she could seize this opportunity to eliminate her...
"Sect Master Lu, is it strange for my granddaughter to be here? What are you doing?"
Not far away, Yue Bufan suddenly appeared, striding forward. His voice boomed like a great bell, making Lu Fuping's ears ring. He looked at Lu Fuping with great vigilance. Lu Fuping had no choice but to retract her subtle movements and greet Yue Bufan with resignation, "Mountain Master Yue Qing."
Yue Bufan nodded and turned to look at Bai Shengyi and the others. Behind Bai Shengyi, Feng Wuya, Zhu Wu, and Luo Feihua quickly greeted Yue Bufan. "Senior Yue."
"Indeed! Good children, good children." Yue Bufan replied with a hearty laugh, appearing as kind and amiable as any ordinary elder.
Bai Shengyi smiled. "Grandpa, why are you here all of a sudden?" As she spoke, her smile slightly faded. "Is it because of my mother..."
"Oh, no." Yue Bufan waved his hand. "Ayi, your second uncle is looking for you." Of course, such a small matter didn't require Yue Bufan to summon Bai Shengyi. He simply wanted to take this opportunity to see his precious granddaughter. "Grandpa will be returning soon, and who knows when we'll meet again."
Bai Shengyi chuckled helplessly. "Grandpa, the Shen Qi Grand Gathering martial competition is in three days." That's right, with the Buddhist sect and the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and the Thousand Demon Pavilion all involved, the new arrangements for the Shen Qi Grand Gathering had been decided. The finals for the martial competition and the alchemy competition were set for three days later. Because of this, Qin Si had been incredibly busy these past few days. Bai Shengyi was doing better; besides needing to see Yue Shuxin for her illness on a regular basis, she had only paid attention to the situation of Jing Fei and others who remained on the outer continent. Finally finding some leisure time, she was pulled out by Luo Feihua to play in the snow. Luo Feihua and the others had already waved goodbye and discreetly slipped away. Bai Shengyi, along with Yue Yuan Gui, headed towards Shen Qi Academy. With their cultivation levels, traveling from Anping City to Shen Qi Academy took only a few breaths.
Lu Fuping watched their retreating figures with a dark expression and suddenly asked the disciple behind her.
"Did Sect Master Li leave this morning?"
"Yes, Sect Master. The Qishan Pavilion and the Xuan Nü Sect have also departed," the disciple replied in a low voice. "However, it is said that Daoist Yan Hua of the Supreme Sect has just arrived in Anping City."
"The people of the Supreme Sect left just before Yan Hua arrived. It's likely related to Yuan Bingxin's punishment," Lu Fuping's gaze shifted. "She is, after all, my niece, whom I watched grow up. I feel for her. Go, do something for me."
Lu Fuping whispered a few words into the disciple's ear. The disciple bowed and left the Fang Lan Sect's formation.
"Sect Master, Young Master Yi'an has not yet returned from the Mustard Seed Layer. Should we send someone to look for him?"
"Not back yet? Didn't Sect Master Li send people to look?" Lu Fuping frowned tightly.
"Not only the Young Master, but Sect Master Shui of the Hundred Flowers Sect and Sect Master Qi of the Golden Cloud Sect have also not returned."
Lu Fuping's frown deepened. Perhaps no one who entered the Mustard Seed Layer that day had returned?
"Has no one returned?" Lu Fuping asked.
The disciple hesitated. "Sect Master, you forget, Feng Wuya from Shen Qi Mountain did return."
"Since he could return, Yi'an will surely be fine. Perhaps he encountered some fortuitous opportunity," Lu Fuping's brow unfurrowed.
"Yes, yes, Young Master Yi'an has extraordinary fortune and exceptional talent. He must have encountered a great opportunity!" The Fang Lan Sect一行 gradually moved away.
Meanwhile, Bai Shengyi was startled by the appearance of her second uncle.
"Second Uncle, what happened to you?" Although Bai Shengyi's second uncle often had a stern, expressionless face, exuding an imposing and elegant demeanor, at this moment, despite still being dressed neatly and meticulously, his sunken eyes filled with bloodshot veins spoke volumes of his utter exhaustion.
"Ayi, do you know where your father is?"
Bai Shengyi blinked.
"Isn't my father always at the Bai Family?"
Bai Yu's question made Bai Shengyi finally realize what she had felt was being forgotten all this time. That's right, where was her father? She hadn't seen her father since she emerged from the Mustard Seed Layer? It was no wonder Bai Shengyi hadn't noticed; she and Bai Qingjiang did not have a deep emotional bond. Furthermore, after their recognition, Bai Qingjiang's heart was entirely with his wife, and he had been guarding Yue Shuxin at Qianxiao Peak. Bai Shengyi rarely had the chance to cultivate their relationship. When the continental barrier shattered, Bai Qingjiang was still at the Bai Family. Bai Shengyi assumed he had taken over the Bai Family and was still there during this time.
"Your father is not at the Bai Family; he's missing!" Bai Yu covered his face wearily, saying helplessly.