Are you really trying to cultivate immortality? Something feels off.

*

"The Feng Hua Sect has really made a splash today," the woman in purple said, arms crossed, her expression cold. "They haven't participated in the sect competition for almost a hundred years, and now they're choosing to make a comeback in the most competitive year. What are they really up to?"

In the quiet guest room, Huo Jiangmei sat to one side, holding a cup of tea and gently blowing on it: "Don't be so impatient, Qiao Yu. What is the Feng Hua Sect that makes you so afraid?"

Lin Qiaoyu turned her head: "Second Senior Sister, have you forgotten the grudge they inflicted on you, Xiao Jiu, and Chen Xiao by severely injuring you at Ten Thousand Swords Mountain?"

Yan Chenxiao, standing beside him, still had the scar left by Tan Suiting five years ago at the corner of his eye. Upon hearing this, his eyes darkened.

"Wasn't their disciple surnamed Xie also seriously injured later?" Yan Wuyou, with his silver hair, casually tilted his head. "I heard that he was stabbed through the chest by Su Boyu's sword, which is why the Dragon Clan's young prince slaughtered the entire clan. That disciple disappeared for five years after that, and only reappeared today. Who knows if he can still lift a sword?"

With a muffled thud, Yan Chenxiao pushed back his chair, got up without much expression, and walked out.

"Bang."

The wooden door closed with a soft, not too loud, sound.

The people inside the room looked at each other in bewilderment.

Jiang Yinhuan took a sip of tea, her fingers brushing against the silver mask covering the upper half of her face, and slowly said, "Wuyou, I've told you to watch your words and not to mention the deceased anymore."

Su Boyu died, and Yan Chenxiao was depressed for a long time because of it. He still can't accept this fact.

Yan Wuyou pursed her lips and said dismissively, "Sorry."

"What's there to apologize for?" Lin Qiaoyu sneered. "Su Boyu is just a medicine cultivator. He shouldn't have been able to join our Dao Seeking Sect in the first place. Our master only accepted him because of Yan Chenxiao. Besides, he came at an inopportune time. Wuyou and I were both in seclusion and didn't have any fellow disciple etiquette with him. He wanted to die by provoking that person from the East Sea. What does that have to do with us?"

Huo Jiangmei coldly raised her eyes: "Qiao Yu, that's enough."

"I'm not the one who should have stopped," Lin Qiaoyu stood up. "Master and Sect Leader Feng are old friends. After this incident, when he learned that his disciple had almost killed a direct disciple of the Feng Hua Sect with a single sword strike for his own selfish desires, he was so enraged that his internal energy backfired. Senior Sister, have you forgotten? Yan Chenxiao had just woken up from his coma, yet he still disregarded everything and begged him to go to the Southern Frontier to rescue Su Boyu. How could he have the nerve to say that?"

Huo Jiangmei clenched her fingers slightly and lowered her eyelashes.

If it weren't for that mistake, Master should have broken through to the late stage of the Tai Xu Realm.

"All these years, Master has been sending letters to the Feng Hua Sect, but Sect Leader Feng has never replied. Don't you care how heartbroken he is? Master is the one who raised us!" Lin Qiaoyu glared angrily at Jiang Yinhuan. "If you ask me, that Su Boyu is a scoundrel. Even if she's dead, she should be expelled from the sect. Why is she still nominally staying in the Dao Wen Sect?! Why are you taking your anger out on me for a dead person who harmed Master? Are you trying to assert your authority? Are you afraid people won't know that it was you, Huo Jiangmei, who wanted the Phoenix Sword back then?!"

"Enough!" Huo Jiangmei suddenly stood up. "None of us expected Su Boyu to be a descendant of the Southern Frontier. Leaving his name in the Dao Seeking Sect was only because our master was kind-hearted and out of respect for the deceased. What, you don't even listen to his words anymore? In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. If Nie Zhao is inferior to me, why can she wield the Phoenix Sword while I can't? Besides, I didn't deny losing in the end. If Nie Zhao wants to take my life, I'll fight her. I'll accept it whether she lives or dies. What's wrong with you today? Taking your anger out on me and Xiao Jiu for the sake of Su Boyu, who is already dead?"

Lin Qiaoyu snorted coldly, unconvinced, and was about to say something more.

"Have you made enough of a scene?" A deep, cold male voice rang out.

The group stopped arguing and all turned their heads to the side.

The man who had been silent in the corner had long, dark hair that hung down his back. He was slender and tall, with a touch of cold detachment. His long, thin fingers slowly wiped the sword at his side.

Upon hearing him speak, Yan Wuyou reached out and tugged at Lin Qiaoyu, shaking her head slightly to signal her to stop talking.

Lin Qiaoyu, who had just been so proud and defiant like a little rooster in battle, immediately went quiet and quickly looked up to steal a glance at her senior brother's face.

"Master did not expel Su Boyu from the sect, so whether he is dead or alive, he is still our fellow disciple," Rong Juyan said slowly. "Besides, the dead are dead, and the living must live. I can understand your lack of affection for him, but you should at least consider Chen Xiao."

Lin Qiaoyu pursed her lips and lowered her eyes: "I'm sorry, senior brother."

She and Yan Wuyou practically grew up with Yan Chenxiao, and their bond was incredibly strong.

"Apologize to your senior sister and Xiao Jiu." Rong Juyan gently put the sword back into its sheath.

Lin Qiaoyu stood there, her fingers twitching, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.

"Sigh, it's all my fault for having such a loose tongue," Yan Wuyou stood up, put her arm around Lin Qiaoyu, and turned to look at Huo Jiangmei. "Second Senior Sister, Xiao Jiu, it was Qiaoyu and me who were wrong today. She was just trying to protect me and didn't mean to lose her temper with you. She's always been like this since she was little, so please don't hold it against her."

After saying that, he touched Lin Qiaoyu's shoulder, signaling her to apologize quickly.

Lin Qiaoyu pursed her lips and whispered, "Second Senior Sister, Xiao Jiu, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Huo Jiangmei gestured with his hand, his brow still furrowed. "I didn't expect Xie Weixing to be so lucky to survive."

"All I know is that he defeated Chen Xiao across borders in the personal disciple selection, and I know very little else," Yan Wuyou frowned. "However, the Feng Hua Sect has always been mysterious. The exact number of its personal disciples was only revealed today, and there is no other information..."

"I do know a little," Huo Jiangmei said coldly. "They have a total of five direct disciples. The first one is Nie Zhao, the only Phoenix Maiden to appear in the Nanchuan Chidi lineage. Five years ago, I ambushed her at the Sword Tomb, trying to use her to obtain the Phoenix Sword, but I failed. You all know that."

Lin Qiaoyu raised an eyebrow: "You've got quite a background."

"The second one is a talisman cultivator, very skilled in formations," Huo Jiangmei recalled. "He has a top-grade wind spirit root, considerable strength, and is the only one whose identity we don't know."

"I heard from people who participated in the Intimate Election that they seem to come from Penglai," Jiang Yinhuan said. "They're very mysterious."

"The third one is Xie Weixing," Huo Jiangmei frowned when she mentioned him, clearly showing resentment and disgust. "This person is extremely cunning and treacherous, with many schemes and tricks. He is powerful, quick-witted, and has dual spiritual roots, even the rarest ice and light roots."

"What?" Yan Wuyou frowned. "I've seen ice spiritual roots before, but light spiritual roots... they actually exist?"