The Cold and Aloof Palace Master's Daily Demon-Slaying Life

Just as Du Qing and Yu Yuanfeng were speechless with shock, a deep bell rang out from the highest peak of Taihua Mountain.

"Thump—"

The ancient, mournful sound of the bell pierced the clouds and resounded throughout the seventy-two peaks. It was no ordinary morning bell or evening drum, but the "Taihua Warning Bell," which was only rung when a sect faced a major upheaval. The last time the bell rang was hundreds of years ago, when the Demonic Sect launched a massive invasion.

The bell tolled nine times, each one more urgent than the last.

As the bell tolled, a layer of pale golden light membrane emerged from the depths of the earth's veins atop the seventy-two peaks of Mount Taihua, rapidly spreading and converging towards the sky. Countless ancient and profound runes flickered and shone upon the membrane, radiating a heavy, mountain-like pressure. This was the Taihua Sect's protective array—the "Nine Heavens Supreme Bright Array," inherited from its founding patriarch and strengthened over tens of thousands of years. Once fully activated, it could withstand a ten-day attack even from dozens of Grand Perfection Purple Mansion cultivators working together.

Almost simultaneously, ten figures silently appeared atop Mount Taihua.

The ten men varied in height and build, some dressed in Taoist robes and crane-feather cloaks, others in tight-fitting clothes and short jackets, some appearing old and frail, others middle-aged. But the moment they appeared, the wind above Mount Taihua seemed to freeze. Not truly still, but suppressed by an invisible and intangible yet overwhelming aura, making even the air thick and heavy.

The Ten Elders.

One of the true essences of Taihua Gate.

Each and every one of them possessed the cultivation level of the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion Realm, and were ancient monsters who had lived for at least eight hundred years. Normally, they would either be in seclusion, traveling around, or guarding secret realms, and ordinary disciples might not even see one of them in their entire lives. But now, because of this earth-shattering phenomenon, they had all appeared.

The leader was an old man dressed in a black Taoist robe, wearing a lotus crown, with a thin face and three long strands of beard hanging down to his chest.

His eyes, when they opened and closed, did not gleam with brilliance, but rather possessed a kind of murky simplicity. Yet, when he looked up toward the direction of Zixu Peak, deep within his eyes, it seemed as if a river of stars flowed and the universe was born and destroyed.

The Grand Elder, True Man Qingwei, has guarded the Taihua Gate for over eight hundred years. His cultivation is unfathomable, and it is said that he has one foot in the Golden Core stage, but he is unable to enter due to the lack of a certain rank.

"From this moment on, Taihua Gate is completely closed."

Master Qingwei's voice wasn't loud, yet it resonated clearly in every corner of Mount Taihua, within the souls of every disciple. It wasn't a sound transmitted through the air, but rather a "heaven and earth sound transmission" formed by the powerful vibration of divine sense through the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Those whose cultivation hadn't reached the Purple Mansion level were utterly powerless to unleash it.

"All disciples, stewards, peak masters, and elders of each peak, return to your caves immediately and activate the restrictions. No one is allowed to leave. Before the strange phenomenon ends, anyone who tamperes with the premises will be treated as a traitor."

The voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority and a chilling aura. Every member of the Taihua Sect who heard it, regardless of their location or what they were doing, felt a chill run down their spine and carried out the order without hesitation.

Countless streaks of light rose from the various peaks and quickly disappeared into the caves and palaces. In just a dozen breaths, Mount Taihua, which had occasionally seen disciples flying by on their swords, became deathly silent, with only the earth-shattering tide of spiritual energy roaring in silence.

"Senior Brother."

Among the ten elders, a woman dressed in a light blue palace gown, who looked to be no more than thirty years old and had a gentle and graceful demeanor, stepped forward. Her brows revealed an undisguised excitement and worry.

She is the Fifth Elder, the Azure Wave True Person, renowned for her water-based martial arts. She has a past relationship with Zuo Qingqiu's master, the Yuan Lei True Person, and practically watched Zuo Qingqiu grow up.

"This commotion... could it really be Qiu'er?"

Master Qingwei withdrew his gaze from Zixu Peak and looked at Master Bibo. A rare, faint smile appeared on his usually calm face, though it was quickly replaced by a solemn expression.

"Fifth Junior Sister, besides Qiu'er, who else in our Taihua Sect has such extraordinary talent?" His voice carried a complex emotion. "At over two hundred and twenty years old, she dares to attempt to break through to the Golden Core stage... Heh, when I was her age, I was still struggling to break through to the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm."

Beside him, a short, stocky old man with a full beard and a red face resembling a blacksmith spoke in a deep, booming voice: "Senior Brother, now is not the time for sentimentality. The scale of this spiritual energy tide is thirty percent larger than when I was breaking through to the Golden Core stage! The rank that Qiu'er is aiming for is no ordinary achievement!"

The speaker was the Third Elder, True Man Lieyang, who cultivated fire-based techniques and possessed a fierce and unyielding nature. In his early years, after forging the rudiments of the metal element, he had attempted to break through to the Golden Core stage, but unfortunately, all the positions in the fire-based cultivation traditions were already taken, making it impossible to force the issue, ultimately severing his path. This was his lifelong regret, and because he had personally experienced it, he understood the danger Zuo Qingqiu was currently facing better than anyone else.

Master Qingwei nodded, his expression solemn: "Judging from the attributes of this spiritual power, it faintly carries the meaning of the birth and death of thunder and the rotation of yin and yang... If I am not mistaken, Qiu'er's goal should be one of the seven positions of the Thunder Law lineage."

"The Thunder Law Fruition?" A grim-faced, thin elder in a green robe frowned. He was the Seventh Elder, Yin Ya Zhenren, who cultivated the unorthodox path of ghosts and was most sensitive to the flow of energy. "The seven fruits of thunder law—the five elements of thunder (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth), plus the yin and yang thunder—were all claimed thousands of years ago. How is Junior Sister Qiu'er...?"

He paused mid-sentence, a flicker of realization crossing his eyes, followed by deeper shock: "Could it be that Yin Thunder Fruit Position that has been suspended in vain?"

"The Yin Thunder Fruit Position..."

The elders whispered to each other, their expressions varied. They were all ancient monsters who had lived for nearly a thousand years, with vast knowledge, and naturally knew the special nature of this position.

Thunder magic is the supreme offensive art in the world, possessing unparalleled power and extreme yang energy. The seven rank positions derived from the thunder magic lineage naturally become the ultimate goal coveted by countless thunder magic cultivators.

However, positions are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Since ancient times, the five elements of thunder—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—as well as the "Yang Thunder Position" representing ultimate yang, have long been occupied by the most brilliant and talented thunder magic masters of all time. Only the "Yin Thunder Position," due to its peculiar and stringent restrictions, has remained vacant.

"It is said that the Yin Thunder Fruit position has special requirements for those who attain enlightenment." A refined scholar in white robes, holding a scroll, spoke slowly. He was the Second Elder, True Man Wenhua, in charge of the sect's scriptures, and the most learned. "It's not about aptitude or comprehension, but about gender and primordial Yin. One must be a virgin female cultivator, and not a woman whose body was acquired through the [Male-Female Appearance] supernatural power; one must have an innate Yin body. This condition has eliminated ninety percent of thunder magic cultivators throughout history. After all, most thunder magic cultivators are male, and very few female cultivators can reach the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion realm."

【The Appearance of Male and Female】is an unorthodox supernatural power that allows cultivators to temporarily or permanently change their appearance, physique, and even physiological characteristics. Some male cultivators who practice special techniques may even use this supernatural power to transform into a female body in order to be compatible with certain yin-attribute techniques.

But clearly, the Yin Lei Fruit position does not recognize this.

"So that's how it is..." Master Bibo murmured, "Qiu'er is a cold and aloof child, single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, never paying attention to matters between men and women, and still a virgin after cultivating the Dao. In addition, she has unparalleled talent in the Dao of Thunder, and her understanding of Thunder is probably already beyond the Purple Mansion Great Perfection of ordinary Thunder Dao lineages... All of these things happen to perfectly match the demanding requirements of the Yin Thunder Fruit position."