The Mistress's Opportunity

The snowflakes from the year-end still lingered on the eaves of the bamboo hut, melting into icicles that hung like beaded curtains.

"Are you really going to search for the Kunpeng's remains?"

He Shutong stood by the bamboo gate, watching the young man bowing in the wind and snow. The snow reflected in her eyes, making them look like shattered jade.

"I absolutely must go." You Su nodded.

Since Ji Lingruo had come to say goodbye before You Su, He Shutong already knew about the Kunpeng Cave Heaven. She knew that asking was unnecessary, but she couldn't help but ask You Su again, as if she felt there was still room for negotiation if she didn't get an answer directly from You Su. But when You Su answered her without hesitation, the last bit of hope she had vanished.

In the silence, she realized that she had become so indecisive, which should never happen to a Void Glimpse Sword Immortal, as if her sword heart had become loose along with her cultivation.

Fortunately, You Su was ambitious and wouldn't change her mind once she made up her mind. She knew she shouldn't have hurt You Su, so she quickly hid her reluctance.

"Since you have made your own decision, then follow your heart, and I support you. But I don't understand why you are so fixated on the Kunpeng's remains?"

You Su raised his head, his gaze sharp as a sword, "Because this matter concerns the world's true great secret."

He Shutong was slightly taken aback, not because of the young man's astonishing words, but because the scene felt so familiar. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she finally remembered the source of that familiarity—

"Your master said exactly the same things to you before he left, even his eyes were exactly the same."

Reminded by her You Su suddenly remembered his master's parting words and realized that his memories before he was ten years old were vague and unclear. His master's figure was indistinct, but it was undoubtedly the original reason that he left in this world.

"Do you miss her?" He Shutong asked.

You Su nodded gently, but not wanting the atmosphere to become even more sorrowful, she chuckled and said, "My master is arrogant and domineering. I wonder what he will think when he returns and finds out that my cultivation is higher than his. I just hope he won't be too ashamed to face me."

"What she values most is cultivation level. If you look down on her because of that, you'll only get beaten up." He Shutong smiled, and her smile instantly melted away like snow melting in ice.

You Su felt that the smile was so beautiful it was dizzying. Given his current relationship with He Shutong, it wouldn't have been a problem for him to look at it for a while longer. However, perhaps because his master had been mentioned, he looked away with some shame.

"It's me who's too ashamed to face him..."

Even if this "Mistress" is a fake, if you really count the generations, she's still my master's junior sister and my own senior uncle. My seniority with my master is going to be completely messed up...

He Shutong naturally saw through the boy's thoughts. She felt ashamed but had no face to comfort him. After all, the thought that Guan Chujun would have no face to face him if he knew that she had entrusted her beloved disciple to her in such an audacious manner was too much for her to bear.

As if possessed, she asked softly, "If you're too ashamed to see me, then you just won't see me...?"

You Su raised an eyebrow, his eyes even more resolute than before. "How could that be! Of course I must see him!"

Having received the answer, He Shutong felt a little relieved. If the boy was shy, she would be even more shy; if he was brave, she would have no fear. Thinking of this, she felt a slight ripple in her stagnant mind, but upon closer inspection, it remained calm and still. She secretly noted this subtle change in her heart, waiting to consider it again after their separation.

However, being gentle and virtuous by nature, she was content with sensing the young man's sincerity. At this time, with the wind and snow raging and everything uncertain, she naturally dared not reveal her fleeting feelings. Therefore, even though she knew that her question just now was about You Su's resolve, she assumed that You Su wanted to see Guan Chujun to answer.

"Your personality is a product of her upbringing; she is a larger version of you. She seems to think that nothing is more important than the person beside her. Although she's been away for many years, she misses you more than you think. She abandoned you for nine years without returning, without a care in the world; she should be ashamed to face you."

"Mistress... do you know where Master has gone?"

"I don't know." He Shutong gently shook her head. "I only know what she wants to do. You two, master and disciple, have never communicated, yet you both have deep thoughts and a desire to find the truth. You truly are a master and disciple pair. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, you will meet at the end of your respective paths."

Upon hearing this, You Su clenched his fist secretly. He had already told his Mistress about the True God and the Grand Duke Jupiter. The fact that his master's Mistress had said this was enough to show that what his master was asking for was probably related to evil spirits. And his Mistress, who was such a faithful person, must have promised his master something that she couldn't say directly. This hint was already the limit.

He couldn't understand why his master, a cultivator at the Condensing Water Realm, would dare to provoke evil spirits.

But then I thought about it again, and the reason why evil spirits are so powerful is not because they have a huge power difference with humans, but because of people's instinctive fear. Master's fearless personality is indeed the most effective weapon against evil spirits.

Although being reminded of his master did stir up his longing for him, You Su knew this was not the time to ask questions. Rather than adding to his worries, he should follow his Mistress's advice, focus on his own path, and he would eventually meet his master again.

With his mind Qingming Festival, You Su only wished to take a few last, wistful glances at his Mistress.

He Shutong looked up, and the moment their eyes met, she knew it was time to part. The boy's gaze was gentle, yet she felt a sudden, inexplicable fear—fear of the worst happening, fear that this was the last time she would see him. She sighed softly, but couldn't help speaking:

People always say that seeking the Way requires sacrificing one's life for righteousness, but they don't know...

"But I don't know why?" You Su asked, holding his breath.

She approached gently, then suddenly reached out and straightened the buttons on his lapel. "Only by living can... can one see flowers bloom and bear fruit, snow melt and spring come."

You Su's heart pounded. The unspoken meaning in her words flowed like water beneath the ice, meandering between them. He recalled the intimacy in his dreams, her tacit embrace... He felt that what his Mistress was talking about was not the path people seek, but rather the relationship between her and him.

Only by staying alive can the relationship have a chance to progress further. She was using this opportunity to persuade him not to risk his life for anything.

"Disciple understands." His throat bobbed, and he bowed deeply. "Disciple will forever remember Mistress's kindness."

He Shutong blushed slightly, annoyed that the young man wasn't clear-headed enough and insisted on pointing it out, yet she also wished that he would truly remember it.

"Go." She turned her back to him, unwilling to watch him leave, but her voice softened. "Go and come back soon, don't keep... Lingruo and the others waiting anxiously."

Also... don't make her wait impatiently.

After three days of trekking, You Su, Ji Xueruo, and Ji Lingruo successfully arrived at the location assigned by the Immortal Ancestor Temple, located in the Qiulin Mountain Range to the east of Japan.

The mountains here are not steep and lack resources, only occupied by some minor Demon Race with weak Demon Power. The mist hangs like a veil over the rugged mountain streams, making it seem like just an ordinary mountain range in the Demon Race realm.

Ji Lingruo but wonder, "Is this really the Kunpeng Cave Heaven?"

"They must have some kind of cover-up, but it's better to gather here than at the sacred mountain."

Ji Xueruo had already set up a soundproofing spell, but she still spoke cautiously. Fortunately, Ji Lingruo was not stupid and knew that her sister meant that she was spared the trouble of how to bring her senior brother into Star Zhao Divine Mountain.

Thinking of this, she subconsciously turned her head to see what You Su was doing, but after one glance she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, thinking to herself that with such a disguise, entering the sacred mountain would probably not be difficult.

You Su, however, was only gazing at her reflection in the stream, and almost didn't recognize herself—her face was covered by a veil, revealing only her starry eyes, and her delicate eyebrows were like distant mountain peaks.

Miss Xue Ruo's makeup skills are so exquisite, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them a divine art.

Not only did he possess an otherworldly appearance and a mature demeanor, but he also wore a small armor made of snake scales. However, it was not a treasure for defending against enemies, but rather a creation made using the snake scale carving technique that the snake women had recently removed. It was solely intended to generate Yao Qi for him and, incidentally, conceal his Feather Transformation Realm.

The only flaw was that the female voice he conjured using his Mystic Qi was too unpleasant and might arouse suspicion. However, the identity he fabricated was merely that of a rising star of the snake clan with exceptional talent, and with two young ladies by his side, he had no right to speak.

After carefully examining his own appearance, he began to observe his surroundings. His gaze swept over the approaching horde of demons— Ao Yu of the Golden Lion Clan stood out the most, draped in a crimson-gold cloak like a mane; the Jade Fox Clan's prodigy wore a snow-white fox fur coat, with nine Fox Tail sewn into the waistband, each adorned with a magnificent pearl, displaying his splendor; the Mystic Turtle Clan's prodigy carried a three-zhang-long black iron tortoise shell, each scale engraved with High Antiquity water-controlling runes...

You Su investigated one by one, secretly assessing that cultivators at the Feather Transformation Realm were indeed few and far between, with eight or nine out of ten being at the Condensing Water Realm, even among the Six Great Demon Clans. Occasionally, he would see a few juniors at the Spirit Platform Perfection Realm, their eyes burning with a pilgrimage-like light. However, judging from the appearance and bearing of these Demon Cultivators, they were all extraordinary, presumably the best among the younger generation of their respective clans, and this was probably the standard by which the Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor invited them.

You Su withdrew his divine sense and found it amusing. He realized that after all his hard work and training, he had finally managed to suppress others solely through his cultivation. He couldn't help but think to himself that among the countless geniuses of the Five Continents, none possessed such extraordinary talent as himself.

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of pride, but not a trace of arrogance. This was because his vision had long since transcended the petty squabbles among peers of the same level and age, and he knew that in the eyes of his true enemies, he was probably much weaker than these Demon Race prodigies in his own eyes.

Seeing that the time was approaching, Ji Xueruo no longer led the three of them to hide in the shadows, but instead revealed herself openly.

The snow-covered forest was already filled with geniuses from various races. Upon seeing the three arrive together, everyone whispered amongst themselves – the Serpent Clan had only regained its place on the Divine Mountain a month ago, yet they had already secured three Kunpeng Cave Heaven, surpassing even the Six Great Demon Clans. How could this not be astonishing?

The prodigies of each race all had strange glints in their eyes, and the Demon Cultivator of the Six Great Demon Clans also had their own thoughts. After all, their elders had only said to try to be on good terms with the snake clan, but they hadn't said that the snake clan could suppress the Six Great Demon Clans. However, although these people had cultivated a strong sense of pride since childhood, as descendants of great clans, they were not mindless and would not do something as foolish as stepping forward to demand an explanation or compete for superiority.

Ao Yu of the Golden Lion Clan stepped forward first, intentionally showing support for the Snake Clan, and greeted them with a fist and a smile:

"I have long admired the name of the Snake Clan Chief, and to meet him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved."

Ji Xueruo return, her voice clear and melodious. "Brother Ao, you flatter me. The Serpent Clan has just returned to the Divine Mountain, and we hope the Golden Lion Clan will provide them with much assistance."

Ao Yu's gaze swept over Ji Lingruo, then landed on You Su, who was concealing his true appearance. He couldn't help but laugh heartily, "With these three prodigies, why would the Serpent Clan need any special treatment? As for us, we hope to explore the mysteries of the Kunpeng Cave Heaven together with the Serpent Clan in the future."

Ji Xueruo smiled and nodded, neither humble nor arrogant. After Ao Yu finished exchanging pleasantries, the other Six Great Demon Clans of the demon clans also gathered around. Some exchanged pleasantries, while others tried to probe her, but she treated them all with courtesy and composure, displaying her elegant and graceful demeanor.

Suddenly, a bell rang out from the heavens, its lingering sound causing everyone's Qi and Blood to surge and them to hold their breath and lower their heads.

A golden figure descended from the clouds, stepping through the mist. Her flowing sleeves and golden mask concealed most of her face, revealing only her jawline, which hinted at a cold and aloof beauty. Even the voluminous fairy dress could not hide her curvaceous figure, yet no one dared to look directly at her. They felt an overwhelming pressure, like a mountain pressing down on them, inspiring awe and reverence.

On the entire sacred mountain, only one person is qualified to dress like this: the Heavenly Listener Immortal Official, who has the power to reach the heavens.

You Su hadn't expected that the Heavenly Listener Immortal Official would personally guide them across. However, given the great importance of the Kunpeng's remains, it was only natural that they would be directly managed by the higher-ups of the Immortal Ancestor Temple.

A celestial official stood in mid-air, a clear, cold female voice emanating from beneath her gilded mask. "I am the Heavenly Listener Immortal Official under the command of Star Zhao Immortal Ancestor, ordered to guide you into the Kunpeng Cave Heaven."

She raised her hand and waved, sending out a hundred streams of light from her sleeve. Three of them landed on the foreheads of Ji Xueruo, Ji Lingruo, You Su, respectively.

The three felt a cool sensation, and when they looked around, they felt light and ethereal; the mountains and forests they had seen before had become an illusion.

"There's no need to bother remembering this location. Kunpeng Cave Heaven isn't here either. Calm your minds, and I will take you there myself."

The celestial official's cold words revealed the hidden thoughts of many Demon Cultivators. This Kunpeng Cave Heaven was so mysterious, and it was the first time it had been opened to the entire sacred mountain, so naturally many Demon Cultivator wanted to remember its location and report back to their Lineage. Now that their thoughts had been exposed, the Demon Cultivator seemed guilty and quickly lowered their heads even further.

"The Kunpeng is a High Antiquity Divine Beast. Its body perished, creating its own world." The celestial official's voice deepened. "Within its belly lies a celestial realm, containing countless fortuitous opportunity, but also immense dangers. This particular Kunpeng arrived five thousand years ago with Outer Realm Heavenly Demons. The fortuitous opportunity the Five Continents are unique to these five continents, and the dangers are even greater. I imagine that you have all made a firm decision to reach this place. However, you must also remember—fortune and misfortune are intertwined; do not be greedy."

Her gaze swept over the crowd, and seeing that no one had backed down, she nodded and said:

"In that case, let's go."

After speaking, the Heavenly Listener Immortal Official suddenly extended her jade-white, delicate hand, and with a swift motion, she raised two fingers together and made a sweeping motion in the air.

In an instant, golden light flowed, the sea of clouds surged, and the illusory scene before them suddenly cracked open with an unfathomable gap. Through the crack, the skeleton-like structure of a giant whale could be vaguely seen.

Everyone was amazed by the divine power of the Heavenly Listener Immortal Official. You Su's pupils also shrank, because he possessed the True Lord's left eye and clearly recognized that the Heavenly Listener Immortal Official's move was pure spatial power!

"When this fissure reappears in the grotto, that will be the time for you to leave!"