The banquet was halfway through when Shen Xiansheng, along with a group of elders from the East Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly, took their leave early.
He clasped his hands toward Zuoqiu Xiansheng with a smile and said, "With the Sea Fall approaching, I understand the careful arrangements you've made, Zuoqiu Xiansheng. However, while man proposes, heaven disposes. For now, we can only take the first step. What comes after is beyond even my foresight."
True to his word, he departed immediately. The massive Centipede demon, which had been lying docilely in a corner of the Martial Training Field, suddenly reared up and respectfully allowed him to leap onto its head. He glanced at Baili Gelin and called out in a clear voice, "Little girl, say your goodbyes quickly! Disciples of our East Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly must not dawdle or hesitate!"
Just as Baili Gelin was about to speak, she felt Changyue suddenly embrace her tightly. Baili Changyue, who had always been strong-willed and independent, was crying openly in front of everyone for the first time.
From now on, they would be separated by countless mountains and rivers, with only sparse words to bridge the distance. Though they spoke of reuniting in six years, the unpredictability of life made it uncertain when they would truly meet again.
Ye Ye steadied Baili Changyue and gazed quietly at Baili Gelin for a moment before smiling. "You've always been one to defy convention. Don’t go crying all alone from now on."
Baili Gelin smiled faintly and looked back at the three behind her—and further back, the boys who had once been so close to her. They were all watching her, and she met each of their gazes in turn.
"Li Fei and Xiu Yuan actually slipped out first," she chuckled, her eyes tender yet sorrowful. "I’m about to leave, and they couldn’t even come to see me off."
She stroked Changyue’s hair, smoothing the long strands gently as she murmured, "But perhaps it’s better this way. Saying goodbye to everyone one by one would be too much. Sister, you and Ye Ye take care of each other. Don’t make me worry about you out there."
With that, she gently freed herself from Changyue’s embrace, tossed out her Stone sword, and in the blink of an eye, transformed into a streak of Golden light, landing beside Shen Xiansheng.
"Finished?" Shen Xiansheng asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Baili Gelin replied softly. The tears she had held back for so long finally spilled forth, mingling with the cold rain.
Faintly, the serene and harmonious strains of a zither drifted through the air, its melody ancient and refined, like ink-wash landscapes slowly unfurling. Li Fei slowly opened her eyes, only to see an endless expanse of white outside the window—snowflakes, snowflakes, nothing but snowflakes...
Snow in August? A sudden realization flashed through her mind, dispelling all drowsiness, and she scrambled upright.
She was in a completely unfamiliar room—and had actually been sleeping on the floor! The ground was covered with soft straw mats, the window wide open as the storm raged outside, frosting the world for thousands of miles, with chasms plunging into unfathomable depths. The heavens and earth were nothing but white—where was this? The No Moon Court?
Li Fei was stunned, her head throbbing faintly from the remnants of a hangover. Pressing a hand to her forehead, she struggled to recall: after the new disciple selection, a banquet had been held in the Academy’s main hall. She had drunk too much, then later encountered Hu Jiaping... the senior disciple brother, Master, Lei Xiuyuan...
She gasped. Had she really been so drunk that she’d fallen asleep on the floating island? And just like that, she’d been brought to the No Moon Court? She hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to Gelin and the others?!The ancient melody of the zither continued to flow, its sound gradually bringing a sense of clarity and serenity to the chest. Li Fei's chaotic thoughts finally began to settle. After a moment of hesitation, she pushed open the door and stepped outside onto a suspended corridor built precariously on the edge of a towering cliff. The relentless snow and wind surged toward her but seemed to be repelled by something soft, unable to accumulate on the walkway.
Just like in the Sweet Splendor Realm, the spiritual energy here was dense and thick, making every step feel laborious.
Following the sound of the zither, Li Fei turned a corner and peeked ahead. In the central hall, green smoke curled up from an incense burner as Chongyi Zhenren sat cross-legged on a cushion, playing the zither. The ancient instrument before him was a deep red, its body twice the size of a typical zither. It didn’t appear to be made of wood—its material was unidentifiable.
Behind him stood a woman dressed in the Moonless Court disciple uniform. She looked to be in her twenties, strikingly beautiful, with an air of pride as she held her head high. Her posture reminded Li Fei of Lan Ya Junzhu—they carried themselves in such a similar manner.
As the melody concluded, Chongyi Zhenren pressed his fingers against the strings, abruptly silencing the lingering notes. He opened his eyes and glanced at Li Fei, who was peeking around the corner, then smiled faintly. "Why are you sneaking around? Come here."
Li Fei felt nervous. Though she had formally acknowledged him as her master, she knew nothing about him—his temperament, his expectations. Treading lightly, she approached and bowed respectfully. "Disciple Jiang Li Fei greets Master."
Chongyi Zhenren gave a slight nod, studying her for a moment before suddenly remarking, "The piece I just played is called 'Nine Harmonies,' passed down from ancient times. Legend says it was composed by the Celestials."
Oh… is that so? Li Fei nodded blankly.
Chongyi Zhenren suddenly chuckled and turned his head. "Zhaomin, what do you think of your junior sister?"
The female disciple named Zhaomin responded with a dutiful "Yes," then stepped forward with flawless grace, lowering her gaze to scrutinize Li Fei. Her eyes were deep and cold, making Li Fei instinctively take a small step back.
Zhaomin spoke abruptly. "Drinking, hungover, appearing before the master with disheveled clothes, hair like a bird’s nest, sneaking around, crude posture, utterly lacking refinement."
…What? Li Fei was stunned. Had she really been that disgraceful? She hadn’t even noticed. Glancing down, she realized her clothes were indeed wrinkled and hastily smoothed them out. Then she touched her hair—she’d been too shocked upon waking to even think about her appearance.
Zhaomin placed both hands on Li Fei’s slender shoulders and suddenly smiled. Her beauty was dazzling, and the smile bloomed like a hundred flowers under a warm spring breeze, filling the heart with warmth.
Caught off guard by the smile, Li Fei instinctively mirrored it—only to freeze when Zhaomin added, "Remember this: a girl must carry herself like a girl. Grace and poise are the proper way. Your manners are atrocious, and I must correct them. Those hideous braids—never wear them again."
Li Fei was dumbfounded once more.
"Wh-what grace and poise?" she stammered.
Zhaomin replied coolly, "Bathe, change, apply proper makeup. Present yourself well. Even if a girl is thinking, 'I want to kill you all,' she should smile beautifully while doing so."
"…Oh." Li Fei shot Chongyi Zhenren a questioning, pleading look—this senior sister seemed… off. Celestial or not!
Zhaomin scolded, "Are your eyelids twitching? It’s unsightly. Stop it at once."Chongyi Zhenren smiled and said, "Li Fei, this is your senior sister Zhaomin. She is the fifth princess of the Wei Kingdom and is most particular about etiquette and demeanor. Spending time with her will undoubtedly benefit you greatly."
A princess?! Li Fei stared at her in stunned silence, then turned her wide-eyed gaze to Chongyi Zhenren before her, suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of foreboding about the challenges ahead.
"Alright, Zhaomin, you may withdraw for now. I have matters to discuss with your junior sister."
Zhaomin respectfully acknowledged with a "Yes," then rose and departed quietly.
Li Fei watched her leave the central hall when, without warning, Chongyi raised his hand and removed the Evil-warding Pearl necklace she was wearing. "The spiritual energy of this pearl is no longer sufficient to conceal your unique constitution," he said. "The capacity of such Mystical Treasures is limited. You should stop wearing it from now on."
Li Fei nearly jumped out of her skin, her entire body instantly drenched in cold sweat. He knew?! How did he figure it out?
Chongyi Zhenren retrieved a hexagonal liuli mirror from his robe—no larger than half a palm, adorned with pink crystals and suspended from a silver chain. It was immaculate and exquisitely crafted, radiating a vast and profound spiritual energy far surpassing that of the Evil-warding Pearl.
Handing her the mirror, he smiled gently. "Your constitution is exceedingly rare. I assume Zuoqiu Xiansheng has already cautioned you thoroughly, so I won’t belabor the point. Wear this mirror around your neck at all times—never lose it."
He was the second Celestial who recognized her unique condition yet treated her with such kindness and guidance. The unfamiliarity she felt toward him suddenly faded, replaced by warmth and gratitude. Initially, she hadn’t held much expectation when this Celestial took her in as a disciple—her sole focus had been coming to No Moon Court to find her senior brother. But now, she found herself genuinely considering him as her Master.
Chongyi Zhenren resumed plucking the strings of his qin, the ancient melody resuming softly. "Last night, you collapsed drunk at the Academy. It was Jiaping who carried you all the way to No Moon Court. He repeatedly urged me to take good care of you."
Li Fei took a deep breath, her emotions in turmoil. Clearly, her senior brother had no interest in her inquiries—he refused to speak further about their Master. Yet, at the very least, knowing their Master was safe brought her immense relief.
"Lei Xiuyuan has been taken to Shining Light Peak by Guangwei Zhanglao," Chongyi remarked, his fingers still dancing over the qin, his tone calm yet laced with an undercurrent of amusement. "This place is Jade Fall Peak, located at the northernmost edge of No Moon Court, while Shining Light Peak lies at the southern end. The convergence of spiritual energy here differs from the outside world—it’s dense and viscous. For junior disciples like you, flying on a sword would be as slow as an oxcart. Meeting him would take you a year of flight."
A year?! Li Fei’s eyes widened in shock. Did that mean she couldn’t see Xiu Yuan anytime soon?
Chongyi continued, "Your foremost task now is to learn how to fly."
Flying again.
Li Fei sighed inwardly. Just like her first day at the Academy, it felt as though everything was starting from scratch.
"Li Fei." Chongyi’s voice suddenly turned solemn, the qin’s melody halting. "Why do you cultivate?"
She pondered for a long time, hesitating over how to respond. She couldn’t articulate why she cultivated—originally, attending the Academy was solely to reach No Moon Court and seek her senior brother’s help in rescuing their Master. But now, everything had veered far from her expectations, leaving her even more uncertain of her purpose in cultivation.Chongyi Zhenren sighed, "I've learned about your training at the Academy. Your abilities are extremely balanced—having all five elements in harmony may seem comprehensive, but the flip side of balance is mediocrity. That is your drawback. Even if you practice for another ten years, your offensive power won't match the true excellence of a Metal Spirit Root. Similarly, no matter how much you train, your Healing Net won't rival the superiority of a true Water Spirit Root."
Did that mean she had no strengths at all? Li Fei suddenly felt her future looked bleak.
He suddenly grew contemplative: "But if you continue cultivating like this—ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years... The harmony of the five elements might allow you to infinitely approach their ultimate limits. What cultivators pursue throughout their lives is precisely this concept of 'ultimate.' By then, you would be invincible under heaven."
Invincible under heaven? Li Fei shook her head. She had never harbored such ambitions: "I don't want to be invincible."
Chongyi Zhenren looked at her with interest: "We've circled back—then why do you cultivate?"
She was stumped once again.
"Every cultivator must possess a heart of unwavering dedication," Chongyi Zhenren gazed at her intently. "This heart can overturn heaven and earth; even the Heavenly Thunder Fire Sea or eternal tribulations cannot shake it in the slightest. Cultivation is inherently an act of defying the heavens. Without this dedication, one can only meet a desolate end. You must soon realize where your dedication lies."
Li Fei fell silent. After deep contemplation, she finally nodded slowly.
Outside the window, the wind and snow raged wildly. Somewhere beyond this blizzard, was Lei Xiuyuan also listening to his new master's teachings at Shining Light Peak? Had Ye Ye and Chang Yue arrived at Earth Treasury Gate? How was Ji Tongzhou faring alone at Star Rectitude Hall? And Ge Lin—had she reached the East Sea Myriad Immortals Assembly? As a friend, she had been too reckless, unable to help at all. When she grew a little older, would she finally understand Ge Lin's feelings?
Li Fei listened absently to Chongyi Zhenren's solemn and ancient zither music, her thoughts already soaring far beyond the nine heavens.
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