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

A light rain fell in the evening, leaving the stone steps on the mountain path wet.

Xiao Dingyue walked slowly down the mountain, the corner of his black robe sweeping across the moss on the steps.

Four attendants followed behind, but no one dared to speak first.

After passing the stone pavilion halfway up the mountain, the attendant who had been holding the magic weapon finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Elder, that brat talked about offerings right in front of us, and his tone..."

"What's wrong with your tone?"

Xiao Dingyue did not stop.

"I just can't understand why the elder would tolerate this."

Xiao Dingyue did not answer.

Just now, in front of the stone table, Xiao Dingyue secretly used his divine sense to scan Su Chen from head to toe.

Initial stage of fusion.

The vital energy is still floating on the surface, and the foundation has not settled down. It seems that he will be able to leave the pass in two or three days at most.

With that level of cultivation, Xiao Dingyue could easily suppress him with one hand.

But the word "offering" was more painful to hear than being slapped in the face.

It's been ten years.

In those bloody battles involving the Shattered Star Cluster, wasn't Xiao Dingyue always at the forefront?

Xiao Dingyue was the one who slew the combined-stage demonic cultivator on the battlefield, and he was also the one who blocked the demonic forces from breaking through the formation for the Haori Sect.

When the disciples of the sect met, they still addressed him politely as "Guest Minister Xiao."

Guest advisor.

In the end, he's still an outsider.

It's not difficult to get started.

The real problem is the madman behind that kid.

For years, Li Changfeng's name had been suppressed in this star field, and Xiao Dingyue, a mid-stage Integration Realm cultivator, couldn't withstand that rage.

Xiao Dingyue rubbed his thumb against the jade pendant at his waist.

The patterns on the jade pendant had long been worn smooth from being touched so much.

Moreover, what Xiao Dingyue truly desires has never been something unconventional.

"Boneless peak".

"Deliver a letter to Steward Feng on my behalf."

The attendant hesitated for a moment, then quickly responded and rode ahead of him towards Bone Peak in his escape light.

...

The sound of soft water came from the Spirit Lotus Pond, and several spirit carp circled around the lotus stems.

Su Chen tossed the fruit pit into the pool.

With a splash, the carp scattered, but after a while they slowly gathered back together.

Su Chen didn't rush back to his cave. He leaned back on the stone bench and crossed his legs.

This Xiao Dingyue is interesting.

A guest elder in the mid-stage of the Integration Realm, having "passed by" halfway through the sect, offered his congratulations, but every word was barbed.

As the attack reached its final stage, the attendants all held down the magic weapon, but Xiao Dingyue himself raised his hand to stop it.

They took it all too easily.

If he really wanted to cause trouble for a woman, he wouldn't have tolerated it so readily.

To be able to endure this much, one's interests go far beyond just Lin Zhiya.

A pine needle fell onto the stone table. Su Chen picked it up, looked at it, and then casually flicked it away.

"Lu Yao".

The door to the side room opened.

Lu Yao brought out a freshly brewed cup of tea, and a section of her fair wrist peeked out from her sleeve, so white that it reflected the color of the tea.

"My lord."

"Who has Xiao Dingyue been close to in the sect over the past ten years?"

Lu Yao put down her teacup and thought for a moment.

"Over the years, I have only been keeping an eye on the line between Pianfeng and Elder Hongfu. I don't know much about Elder Xiao."

"I've only heard that Elder Xiao often goes to Bone Peak and has had several private drinks with Feng Jiu."

Bone peak.

Su Chen didn't say anything, picked up his tea and took a sip.

It's finally warm.

Lu Yao lowered her head and stepped aside, her fingertips gripping her sleeve.

The first thing the Lord asked after he came out of seclusion was this.

It seems things are about to get turbulent again for Pianfeng.

Lu Yao had guarded the gate for seventy years, and at this crucial moment, she absolutely could not afford to make a mistake.

...

The night wind blew up from the mountain valley, making the copper bells on the eaves jingle and clang.

The cave dwelling on the side peak was still lit up.

A streak of light landed outside the barrier, appearing furtive and suspicious.

Su Chen didn't even lift his eyelids.

"Come in, Junior Nephew Zhou."

Zhou Ding patted his clothes at the door, then patted them again before stepping inside.

Seventy years have passed, and this habit hasn't changed at all.

"The true master... This junior has disturbed you so late at night."

"sit."

Zhou Ding's buttocks only touched half of the stool.

That bone fragment is still tucked in this evil star's sleeve.

Zhou Ding originally thought that after seventy years, Su Chen would have long forgotten.

But as soon as Su Chen emerged from seclusion, Zhou Ding was the first one who couldn't sleep.

Rather than waiting for others to come to us, we might as well send the message over ourselves first, as a pledge of allegiance.

"There's something I've been holding back for many years."

Su Chen leaned back in his chair and nodded.

"explain."

"Elder Xiao has submitted documents to Bone Peak twice in the past ten years, applying for a boundary decree."

"Both times, Elder Tiandu suppressed the application, and it has not been approved."

Zhou Ding swallowed hard, lowering his voice even further.

"Also, a few days ago, Elder Tiandu and Elder Xiao talked for an hour behind closed doors in the alchemy room."

"I was standing guard outside the door when I heard the last sentence."

"The true disciple occupies the seat of the Holy Maiden, and the Holy Maiden occupies a seat in the council hall."

The cave became quiet.

The wick of the lamp popped and burned.

The boundary order is returned to the Bone Peak administration.

This is a message that Wen Wan from Tingyulou sent to Su Chen seventy years ago.

At that time, Su Chen only thought of it as a way out, but he didn't expect that there were other people crowding into this way out.

Xiao Dingyue wanted to descend to the mortal realm.

What would a descendant of a destroyed sect do in the mortal realm?

The old man from Tiandu is holding back the approval because he's waiting for a better price.

Xiao Dingyue went to propose marriage because the Holy Maiden had a seat in the council hall.

If the matter of the boundary decree were to escalate to the council hall, the Holy Maiden's vote would carry considerable weight.

That explains everything.

Xiao Dingyue's concern was never Lin Zhiya herself, but rather the votes Lin Zhiya held.

Su Chen took out a jade bottle from his storage bag and placed it on the table.

"Take this tonic pill home and take it."

This was brought back from the Demon Flame Sect's treasury years ago; there's still a scorch mark on the bottle that wasn't completely wiped clean.

Zhou Ding took the jade bottle, unsure of what to say for a moment.

This wicked star can be ruthless when it comes to harming people, but he can also be incredibly generous when it comes to rewarding them.

Zhou Ding is gone.

Su Chen sat facing the ever-burning lamp all night.

Lin Wanwan's promise of a hundred years has always been buried deep in her heart.

The seclusion will last for seventy years, and if you include the time spent in the spirit world, there are at most a hundred years left.

A hundred years is but a blink of an eye for a cultivator.

The boundary token must be obtained.

But now the Realm Token is in the hands of the Heavenly Capital Elder, and Xiao Dingyue is also watching from the side.

As the window paper slowly revealed the first light of dawn, Su Chen stretched and his neck cracked.

...

Before the morning mist had even dissipated, light footsteps could be heard on the mountain path.

Lin Zhiya carried the tea canister up the side peak.

She was wrapped in a light blue Taoist robe, with a glimpse of her calves occasionally peeking out from under her skirt, damp from the morning mist.

"Here you are."

The tea canister was placed on the stone table.

"It's been sitting for seventy years; it should have gotten damp long ago."

"It was the true disciple who said he wanted to drink it, so this holy maiden doesn't care whether it tastes good or not."

Su Chen lifted the lid of the jar, and a refreshing aroma of tea wafted out.

It wasn't damp at all.

For the past seventy years, Lin Zhiya has been using her spiritual power to keep this pot of tea warm, taking it out to look at it once a year.

We absolutely cannot let that scoundrel find out about this.

Su Chen didn't ask any more questions, grabbed a pinch of water into the pot, and brewed two cups.

"Su plans to go to the main peak to find the sect leader."

"What do you want with the sect leader?"

"Set the date for the Dual Cultivation Ceremony."

Lin Zhiya's teacup trembled, and a few drops of tea splashed out and landed on the back of her hand.

"The true teachings are in a hurry."

She spoke casually, but her ears were already bright red.

Su Chen looked at the patch of red but didn't point it out.

Lin Zhiya lowered her head and blew on the tea leaves several times, until the tea was no longer hot.

...