Enduring humiliation for three years, seizing the elixir, the treasure, and the holy maiden.

Lin Zhiya remained motionless on the periphery of the crowd.

The hem of the plain gauze skirt was lifted by a corner by the strong wind, and then fell back down.

She should have stepped forward.

That was her junior brother.

They had listened to the elders preach together in Xueyuan Pavilion since childhood, and practiced swordsmanship together at the bottom of the cold pool on the side peak. She once stuffed three Nourishing Yuan Pills into his hand, just because he suffered some hidden injuries when he broke through to a higher realm.

Whenever the demonic forces invaded her territory, as long as Han Yue volunteered, she would always find an excuse to go with the army and secretly protect him.

She truly cared about those years.

At this moment, Han Yue was being supported by two junior brothers, staggering as he moved towards the edge of the arena.

Her usually gentle face was as white as rice paper, and she didn't even want to look at what was left in her eyes.

Lin Zhiya felt empty inside.

There was no pain.

There was no reluctance.

Even the slightest bit of pity that should have been felt was nowhere to be found.

Instead, a sense of inexplicable annoyance arose.

If he hadn't publicly interrogated her with those three questions in front of the main hall, she wouldn't have been subjected to endless questioning by all the disciples.

If he hadn't insisted on volunteering and insisted on provoking this battle by pointing out the seniority difference, he wouldn't be in this situation where his cultivation level has dropped and he can't even keep the chance to show his face in the battle between the righteous and the demonic.

He reaps what he sows.

The moment those four words popped into her mind, Lin Zhiya was stunned.

She would never have thought of him like that before.

My gaze involuntarily shifted in that direction.

The person in the center of the field was rubbing a spirit stone between his fingers and then putting it into his sleeve.

He won this match without even flinching.

The words he had spoken to shield her from the storm in the main hall just now echoed in her ears again.

He was the one who pursued her.

He fell in love at first sight, pursued her relentlessly, and went to great lengths to win her heart.

It was clearly nonsense, yet all the disciples present nodded in agreement.

Lin Zhiya couldn't quite put her finger on what was left after that moment of embarrassment and anger.

He's clearly the type of man I dislike the most.

He has a roguish air about him, speaks incoherently, and has a mind so deep it's unfathomable.

But at this moment, all I could think about was the way that person's sleeve swayed as he raised his hand to sheathe his sword.

Lin Zhiya tucked her fingers into her sleeve.

Lin Zhiya, what are you thinking about?

Without saying a word, he turned and left.

Her plain gauze skirt swept across the bluestone steps, and the jade bell at her waist tapped lightly, ringing only half a note.

On the cloud platform.

Two figures with deep, imposing presence emerged from the clouds.

Of the four major peaks of Haori Sect, only two elders remained at the mountain gate today, while the other two had already gone to the ancient battlefield with the army.

The man on the left was extremely tall and strong, his muscles so taut that his robes were stretched taut.

With a short, iron-gray beard under his chin, he was Elder Longgu of Bone Peak, a cultivator at the early stage of the Integration Realm.

Master Longgu watched from beginning to end without saying a word.

His face showed neither appreciation nor displeasure, like a stubborn rock placed on a cloud platform.

The one on the right, however, was a female cultivator.

He wore a moon-white Taoist robe with a few wisps of flowing cloud patterns embroidered on the hem, and his waist was cinched very tightly.

That face is really beautiful.

Her eyebrows and eyes had a naturally cool and aloof quality, with the corners of her eyes slightly upturned. It was precisely this slight upturn that added an indescribable meaning to that cool and aloof demeanor.

Elder Liu Yunhan of Yunfeng, mid-stage of the Integration Realm.

Everyone in the sect knows that this elder has an eccentric personality. Apart from major sect meetings, even the elders rarely exchange a word with her.

Some disciples said behind her back that she couldn't see anyone at all.

At this moment, Liu Yunhan raised her hand and straightened her cuffs.

A ray of light descended from the cloud platform.

The disciples all parted to make way for him.

Liu Yunhan walked up to Su Chen, stopped, and looked him up and down.

He examined it very slowly and very carefully.

Su Chen was speechless under their gaze.

Elder Liu.

Su Chen touched the bridge of his nose.

"What strange thing has grown on Su's face?"

"It's worthy of the elders' high regard."

Several of the bolder disciples around almost burst out laughing, but quickly covered their mouths.

That was Elder Pianfeng, who was in the mid-stage of the Integration Realm.

Only this true disciple uncle in the entire sect dares to speak in such a tone.

Liu Yunhan wasn't annoyed.

A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes instead.

"The true legend laughed."

The sound was soft and clear, like the stream flowing through the cracks in the rocks at Xueyuan Pavilion.

"I just don't quite understand."

Liu Yunhan raised a hand and pointed to the spot where the crack had disappeared.

Her fingers were long and slender, and her wrists were so thin that you could see a thin blue vein.

"Cultivation level at the early stage of Void Refinement."

"Even a cultivator in the late stage of the Void Refinement realm would have to be wary of you."

"Not to mention such supernatural abilities to manipulate the laws of space."

"Those who have been able to grasp this law since ancient times have all been powerful figures in their own right."

She pulled her hand back into her sleeve.

"I have indeed become quite interested in the true teachings of the martial arts."

"If you have some free time in the future, why not come and sit on my Cloud Peak?"

These words caused another uproar in the room.

It was even more dramatic than when Han Yue's realm had fallen.

"Elder Yunfeng...initially invited people?"

"In my three hundred years in the sect, I have never seen this elder exchange more than three words with anyone."

"What's wrong with me today?"

A young disciple craned his neck, only to be pressed down by his senior brother beside him.

"Shut up, the elders are all here."

Su Chen's mind raced.

He could more or less guess why the elder had come.

A cultivator at the mid-stage of the Integration Realm wouldn't really compromise their principles for the sake of a cultivation technique.

What they wanted to see was the Grand Elder, a mid-stage Mahayana cultivator, behind him; they wanted to find out whether it was worthwhile to form a good relationship with this true disciple who came from the lower realm.

He had only just scratched the surface of the rules of the spirit world, but he was already an expert in calculating human relationships back in Qingzhou in the lower realm.

However, now that things have come to this point, it's impossible to back out.

"How could I, Su, refuse the elder's invitation?"

Su Chen cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"Once I've tidied up all these odds and ends, I'll definitely make a trip to Yunfeng."

Liu Yunhan nodded, said nothing more, and with a flick of her wrist, returned to the Cloud Platform.

As the figure in the moon-white Taoist robe disappeared into the clouds, many disciples were still looking in that direction.

Only then did the Dragon Bone Master move.

"The Laws of Space".

The lips beneath his short, iron-gray beard opened and closed, the sound like two stones grinding together.

"I have lived for over three thousand years. The last time I saw this law in the sect was when I heard it recorded in the sect annals."

Master Yunmeng stroked his long beard but did not reply.

The little grudge in my heart went back and forth several times.

He had previously thought that Li Changfeng was protecting this disciple as if he were protecting a fledgling bird.

Now it seems that what they are protecting is a ferocious beast that hasn't even grown its fangs yet.

Let's think about it further.

For a full thousand years, he was the only one left among the three Supreme Elders to maintain order.

Now that Li Changfeng has returned, he has brought back this very person.

The Hao Ri Zong sect may well have a chance to rise again.

Li Changfeng held his teacup and leisurely took a sip.

The tea had gone cold, but the old monster didn't seem to mind.

"Old Ghost of Yunmeng".

Li Changfeng placed the teacup on the table.

"You said before that my disciple's defeat at the hands of Han Yue was not a disgrace to his name."

"Do you want to say that again now?"

Master Yunmeng chuckled twice.

"Junior Brother's disciple is indeed extraordinary."

"Extraordinary?"

Li Changfeng snorted and flicked his sleeve.

"I have only comprehended three aspects of the sword intent of my self-created Falling Clouds Piercing the Sun technique."

"This kid comprehended the third Dao the year he formed his core."

...