"Men, seize him! No matter what, he must not leave through this door today!"
Under the instigation of the Kongtong Elder, Third Master Qi steeled his heart and shouted orders, summoning a group of subordinates who surrounded Liu Ruyi tightly, pressing forward relentlessly.
As for the Kongtong Elder, his tactics were as unsavory as his appearance. Using the crowd as cover, he maneuvered with strange, shifting steps, occasionally striking from an unexpected angle.
Liu Ruyi moved with ethereal grace, narrowly avoiding each attack, though the force of the palm strikes still tore at his robes, sending shreds of fabric fluttering like falling petals. His black hair and crimson robes intertwined, lending the scene a hauntingly eerie atmosphere.
The Kongtong Elder lived up to his reputation as a master of formations—his footwork followed the Eight Trigrams, intricate and flawless. Liu Ruyi, though skilled, was slightly outmatched in foundation and hindered by the crowd. Unable to break free immediately, he drew out his phoenix-headed konghou and played a sweeping melody, sending the surrounding attackers flying aside.
At that very moment, Ling Xiyue, who had been standing idly by, suddenly leapt into action. A sword gleam darted toward Liu Ruyi like a venomous snake.
In the nick of time, Liu Ruyi tilted his swan-like neck, the cold blade grazing past his throat and severing a lock of his silken black hair.
Liu Ruyi stepped back gracefully, regaining his composure. "Second Young Master Ling, what impressive skill. To conceal your killing intent so perfectly—even I failed to notice."
"Flattery undeserved," Ling Xiyue replied with a faint smirk. "Before Lord Chenbi, I dare not be careless. My apologies, but I act on behalf of my father and elder brother. I must trouble you today."
Shu Fu watched anxiously as Liu Ruyi fought against three opponents. Unable to hold back, she blurted out, "Senior, why haven’t you intervened? Are you waiting until he’s seventy percent dead too?"
"Not at all," Jiang Xuesheng replied calmly, unruffled. "Ruyi has a proud nature. If I deny him the chance to show his skills from the start, he’ll sulk afterward. As for the 'seventy percent dead' rule, you misunderstand me. For those who court death, I see no reason to stop them—so I compromise by waiting until they’re seventy percent gone before stepping in. But for my disciples, the standard is different."
Shu Fu: "How so?"
Jiang Xuesheng smiled faintly, unabashed in his double standards. "For others, seventy percent dead. For my disciples—a single strand of hair."
Shu Fu: "..."
She glanced down at the severed lock by Liu Ruyi’s temple, but before she could speak, another sharp rip sounded—the Kongtong Elder’s claw-like fingers tore away half of Liu Ruyi’s sleeve.
His beady eyes glinted with malice as he sneered, "Arrogant brat! Your skin is as fine as the cauldron companions I keep. Quite the delicacy!"
Before his words fully faded, another snap echoed—Liu Ruyi flicked a string from his sleeve, slicing off half of the Kongtong Elder’s meticulously groomed beard.
"Oh dear, my hand slipped," Liu Ruyi feigned surprise. "My apologies. Seeing the Elder in such a lustful display, I meant to castrate you for Third Brother’s sake. A shame my aim was slightly off."
"You insolent whelp!" The Kongtong Elder’s face twisted in rage, his remaining beard bristling. "If your master were here, I might show some restraint. But a mere junior like you dares to mock me?!"
Shu Fu: "..."
At this moment, she desperately wanted to shout at the Kongtong Elder: "Alright, stop talking!"
Unbeknownst to him, the Elder was like an old general on stage—his back already laden with flags.
And worse, he had planted them there himself.
Just then, Shu Fu felt herself lifted effortlessly as Jiang Xuesheng’s sleeve swept her up. Light as a snowflake, she drifted down from the rafters.
In that brief descent, the first thing she noticed was a refreshing coolness, like a night breeze carrying a hint of moisture.
Then she realized—it wasn’t the wind or water, but the residual spiritual energy radiating from Jiang Xuesheng.
Having concealed his true strength all this time, Jiang Xuesheng now resembled an unfathomable, icy pool—his power so dense it seemed to lower the temperature around him.
At the same time, his appearance transformed.
Shu Fu, being closest, watched as his features subtly reshaped—his eyes slanting upward, brows arching like brushstrokes on jade. Strangely, it felt natural, as if she had always known this was his true visage.
Like clouds parting after snowfall, revealing a landscape of peerless beauty.
Shu Fu had seen her share of beauties—real-life ones like paintings, fictional ones more exquisite than reality. Yet when Jiang Xuesheng glanced down at her, she nearly choked, her inner voice screeching like a startled fowl.
Holy—
Holy—holy—holy—holy—
What—what is this person?!
No wonder even monkey demons want to bear his children—I suddenly want to birth a whole flock of screaming chickens for him!
The man before her appeared no older than twenty, his beauty pristine as autumn waters, his bearing free as the wind. In stillness, he was flawless jade; in motion, a streaking meteor. Every inch of him, from bone to skin, transcended mortal definitions of gender—simply celestial.
He wasn’t the aloof, icy mountain peak or the untouchable immortal clad in white, as often seen in cultivation tales.
His robes were a soft azure, like ink-washed landscapes, adorned with two or three blooming night-blooming cereus flowers—pure and elegant, as though exhaling fragrance in the dark.
Hence, his title: "Lord Tanhua."
With a branch of jade as his bones, three parts moonlight as his soul.
Ten thousand splendid lanterns pale before Tanhua’s glow.
His previously tied-up hair now cascaded freely, held only by a wooden hairpin. The inky strands flowed over his shoulders and back like a river of ink, making his starlit eyes all the more striking.
Shu Fu’s thoughts: The Milky Way just tipped over and poured onto my head.
This celestial beauty gazed down at her, lips curving into a smile that crinkled his eyes into crescent moons. "Do I look pleasing?"
Shu Fu: "Very."
Jiang Xuesheng: "Good. And I don’t need grooming or cosmetics."
Shu Fu: "..."
What’s with this master-disciple pair?!
Dumbstruck, her mind still reeling, Shu Fu noticed the others in the hall were equally stunned. The Kongtong Elder, who had been crowing about "Lord Tanhua" moments ago, now stood frozen, his face purpling, eyes bulging.
Liu Ruyi pressed his lips into a smile, retreating gracefully with a flourish and a deep bow—
"Disciple Liu Ruyi, respectfully welcomes the Master."
Jiang Xuesheng, the esteemed "Tranquil Blossom" Master, seemed long accustomed to such reactions from others. With one hand gathering his waterfall-like black hair and the other guiding Shu Fu, he strode forward with effortless grace, his gaze fixed ahead as though the surroundings were beneath his notice. He took a seat at the head of the hall, settling into the spot vacated by Ling Xiyue.
His posture was far from proper—languid, almost boneless, as he reclined with an air of careless elegance. Yet, with a face so peerlessly beautiful, even his slouching exuded the charm of a drowsy springtime beauty.
From Shu Fu’s perspective, his half-lidded eyes concealed beneath thick, dark lashes, his long fingers propping up his chin—every line of him radiated an arrogance so effortless it somehow avoided offense.
Truly, beauty granted one the privilege of doing as one pleased.
"Elder Kongtong, Second Young Master Ling, Third Master Qi."
He leaned forward with a smile, his voice laced with amusement. "It has been a while. Tranquil Blossom greets you."
Shu Fu saw no trace of courtesy in his demeanor. If anything, his expression suggested something closer to, "Tranquil Blossom sends his regards to your ancestors," or perhaps, "I’ll scatter your ashes within three days."
Elder Kongtong’s throat bobbed. "You—you—"
"Hmm, speak."
Jiang Xuesheng nodded gently, his expression almost benevolent. "I’m listening."
Elder Kongtong immediately lost all desire to continue.
Third Master Qi, his face ashen, still mustered a feeble resistance. "Master Tranquil Blossom, this matter concerns only the Qi family and Lingxiao City. It has nothing to do with you. The Jiuhua Sect and Lingxiao City have always walked separate paths, never interfering in each other’s affairs. Your sudden intervention seems... inappropriate."
Jiang Xuesheng replied mildly, "A fair point. But who said this matter has nothing to do with me?"
As he spoke, his eyelids lifted, meeting Shu Fu’s gaze squarely. He held her bewildered expression with a look of unwavering sincerity.
"Fellow cultivator."
His tone was calm, no different from their earlier exchanges. "My surname is Jiang, given name Tan, courtesy name Xuesheng, and my Daoist title is Tranquil Blossom. In my early years, I resided in the Profound Jade Palace. A century ago, I took charge of Yaoguang Peak in the Jiuhua Sect, and thus am also known as the Yaoguang Elder. Though, I am not particularly old."
"Ah. Right."
Shu Fu had no idea why he was introducing himself at such a moment, so she responded woodenly, "That’s... impressive. Very formidable."
And clearly very sensitive about his age.
Jiang Xuesheng continued, "Yaoguang Peak is not a place of wealth or luxury, but its beauty lies in its serene landscapes, ideal for nurturing the spirit. I have hundreds of disciples under my guidance, with three personal students—Ruyi, who is free-spirited; Zhao Yun, lively and bright; and Si Fei, loyal and steadfast. All are easy to get along with. Zhao Yun adores flowers, so the peak blooms in all seasons. Si Fei is drawn to water, so the mountain boasts lakes, waterfalls, and springs—perfect for leisurely swims."
"I possess little, but whatever my disciples desire, I give freely."
A vague realization began to dawn in Shu Fu’s mind, but before it could fully form, Jiang Xuesheng reached out, his slender fingers brushing against her palm through her sleeve.
His movements were unhurried, his expression tranquil, like a night-blooming flower unfurling in silence.
"Fellow cultivator, I know you are the last descendant of the Tong lineage, the sole inheritor of Tong Yao’s legacy. You told me you wish to join the immortal sects, to avenge the Tong clan."
"I wish to guide you into our path, to send you soaring to the highest heavens. Will you accept?"
I know you are Jiang Ruoshui, and I know you are not Jiang Ruoshui.
Precisely because of this, your vow of vengeance is all the more precious—more so than any treasure in this world.
A lone soul granted a second chance—how much courage, how much righteousness must one possess, to stake their life on a cause that was never theirs to bear?
A heart so pure can touch the heavens.
I wish to ferry you across this journey.
Will you come?
