A month prior, news of the ancient Azure Dragon's revival within the Vast Small Secret Realm had spread, prompting the major sects of the Divine Revelation World to prepare themselves. It was then they learned that the ancient Azure Dragon had met its demise at the hands of Bai Shengyi of Divine Revelation Mountain.
Bai Shengyi herself, however, had been ambushed by Jing Lan of Qu Jing Sect and Yun Youyue of Xi Le Sect, falling into a spatial rift, her whereabouts unknown and her fate uncertain.
Initially, sects like Hua Ling Mountain and Supreme Sect believed Divine Revelation Mountain had fabricated the story to inflate Bai Shengyi's reputation.
It wasn't until Daoist Qing Lan successively visited Qun Yu Mountain and Tian Xuan Sect to deduce Bai Shengyi's location, and more disciples returned from the secret realm, that everyone finally believed that a true Azure Dragon existed within the Vast Small Secret Realm, and Bai Shengyi was indeed the dragon slayer!
Furthermore, since Yue Ci recognized Bai Shengyi's Nine Revolutions Rebirth Brush, he immediately identified her, leading everyone to now refer to her as Daojun Rong Ku.
She was the only Daojun among the new generation of disciples to possess a unique title.
This title conveyed not only the awe inspired by the divine artifact, the Rong Ku Brush, but more so, it was an affirmation of her strength and an expression of admiration for her single-handedly slaying the ancient Azure Dragon!
However, all of this was irrelevant to Divine Revelation Mountain, and irrelevant to Qin Si.
His long eyelashes were dusted with a layer of icy frost, and his deep pupils were as cold and indifferent as if nothing in this world could ever stir him.
Indeed, it was so.
Qin Si, sword in hand, leaped forward, his target fixed on the gentle male cultivator at the center of the Qu Jing Sect's formation.
The sword light struck unexpectedly, and the male cultivator could no longer maintain his composure, immediately drawing his sword to counter.
"Clang!"
A crisp sound rang out, like a silver bottle shattering.
Following that, a sweep of sword light, and a large pool of blood splattered on the ground.
"Lan'er!" Jing Liusheng, witnessing Jing Lan fall, his eyes split with fury, lunged forward.
"Qin Si, you bully too much!" Jing Liusheng's eyes bloodshot, he leaped up, summoning his natal magical treasure to attack Qin Si. "You cur, this sect leader will kill you!"
Qin Si remained silent. With a twist of his wrist, the Boundless Azure Cold Sword split into two. One sword met Jing Liusheng, while the other darted towards Jing Lan on the ground, piercing him again.
Kill him?
He wanted to kill both father and son even more!
Ice and snow raged and churned. This was his domain.
Qin Si quickly engaged Jing Liusheng. The two fought fiercely, their battle shaking the heavens and earth, even affecting the entire ice plain.
"Elder, what do we do? Senior Brother Jing Lan isn't breathing!" a disciple nearby exclaimed in panic.
The sect leader was too focused on a life-or-death struggle with the Mountain Lord of Qin, not even thinking to save people first.
An elder of Qu Jing Sect responded impatiently, "Quick, send someone to invite an alchemist! Isn't the Mountain Lord of Dong Yang Mountain also here?"
Just as the elder finished giving his orders, a beam of spiritual light exploded within the Qu Jing Sect's disciple formation. Many disciples cried out "Aiya!" as they were blown away, and many more were injured!
"Qin Si!" The elder's heart bled with hatred!
Jing Liusheng gritted his teeth even harder, cursing. That damned brat had done it intentionally!
While the two of them fought here, Divine Revelation Mountain remained unaffected. Instead, their Qu Jing Sect formation, if not careful, would be affected by the sword energy and spiritual power of a Mahayana cultivator, leading to injuries!
Of course, more importantly, why had this brat's cultivation increased so much in just a month?
Jing Liusheng grew more alarmed and struggled more with each passing moment, his eyes filled with caution towards Qin Si. "Qin Si, you've injured my son, and he has apologized to your Divine Revelation Mountain. This sect leader acknowledges that my son was in the wrong initially. If you stop now, my Qu Jing Sect will not pursue this matter further. What do you say?"
Qin Si wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. "Fine."
Jing Liusheng's heart leaped with joy, but before he could relax, he heard Qin Si continue, "Unless Jing Lan is dead."
Jing Liusheng's face instantly darkened. "You are truly reckless! Guards..."
"Sect Leader Jing, do you intend to gather your forces to bully a junior?" a cold, deep voice interrupted Jing Liusheng's words.
Only then did Jing Liusheng realize that, without him noticing, the area where he and Qin Si were fighting had been sealed by a barrier, leaving no one else present.
Mountain Lord Yue Bufan of Yue Qing Mountain was seated at the edge of the barrier. He wasn't intervening, but he was intently watching Jing Liusheng's actions, as if any anomaly would cause Yue Bufan to immediately assist Qin Si.
Damn it!
Jing Liusheng wanted to curse.
"Yue Bufan!" Jing Liusheng glared fiercely at the old scoundrel. However, distracted, he failed to notice Qin Si strike his forehead with his sword, causing stars to burst before his eyes.
This blow seemed to trigger something. In just a moment, Jing Liusheng's heart was pierced by Qin Si's sword again, and his nose was struck by a punch...
Ten breaths later...
"Thump!"
Jing Liusheng fell onto the ice layer of the ice plain, smashing a large hole!
Qin Si also descended from the air, landing in a half-kneeling position, covered in blood.
Yue Bufan didn't know what to say. He said irritably, "You brat, are you done being crazy? If I hadn't arrived in time, would you have destroyed the entire Southern Barren River?"
Despite his scolding, he greatly admired Qin Si.
Others found Qin Si too petty, chasing after Qu Jing Sect and Xi Le Sect relentlessly even after Bai Shengyi's disappearance, lacking the magnanimity of a cultivator. However, Yue Bufan felt Qin Si's temper was just right!
Their Yue family members should be so protective!
Qin Si rose indifferently, asking instead of answering, "Are people from Xi Le Sect also about to arrive?"
"You still want to go crazy?"
Qin Si understood and walked forward directly. His cold voice echoed in the howling wind.
"Last time in Nü Gui City, for your sake, it was merely a minor skirmish. Ah Yi is missing, so why should Xi Le Sect and Qu Jing Sect still happily participate in the closing ceremony?"
If they weren't happy, then no one would be happy.
Qin Si let out a cold sneer. Looking at the formation not far ahead, a cold arc curved on his lips. He raised his hand, and an ice frost snow sword materialized, piercing directly through space, unexpectedly striking the man leading the formation!
Half an hour later, news that shocked everyone in the entire Southern Barren River spread!
"The Sect Leader of Xi Le Sect has fallen!"
"My heavens! Are you serious?" The disciples who heard the news were stunned. This was too exciting!
"What's this? The Sect Leader and Young Sect Leader of Qu Jing Sect are both injured!"
"Divine Revelation Mountain and Xi Le Sect are fighting!"
The closing ceremony of the Divine Revelation Grand Assembly this year was destined not to proceed smoothly.
Just as all the disciples who had entered the Vast Small Secret Realm emerged, the Sect Leader of Xi Le Sect suddenly met his demise. Immediately after, disciples of Xi Le Sect guarded the secret realm exit, attacking disciples of Divine Revelation Mountain. Divine Revelation Mountain naturally resisted, and the two sides clashed directly at the secret realm exit.
"Divine Revelation Mountain is too lawless," Lü Fuping said with lingering fear. "Fellow Daoists, if Qin Si dared to kill Rong Bugui today, who knows if he won't ambush us in secret in the future? We absolutely cannot tolerate such behavior!"
In the center of the Barren River, the leaders of the One Sect, Two Pavilions, Three Mountains, and several first-rate sects convened.
Lü Fuping, remembering that she had also offended Qin Si and Bai Shengyi, felt extremely uneasy. She spoke rapidly, "Master Ku Chan, Senior Brother Tian Shu, Your Royal Highness the Demon King, Shopkeeper Wan, Mountain Lord Hua Ling, Mountain Lord Hu Yu, you truly cannot indulge this child any longer!"
Yue Yuan Gui was seated at Yue Qing Mountain. Just as he was about to speak, Lü Fuping interrupted him with a sharp voice.
"Yue Yuan Gui, don't speak! Who doesn't know that your Yue Qing Mountain and Divine Revelation Mountain are in cahoots! If you hadn't insisted on letting Qin Si go in Nü Gui City back then, how could he have escalated things!"
Lü Fuping attributed the chaos caused by Qin Si and Qian Ying in Nü Gui City to Yue Qing Mountain's indulgence of Divine Revelation Mountain.
Yue Yuan Gui was almost amused to the point of anger.