"Lingyun Peak Master, what are you doing here? Could it be that you've already claimed the Heaven and Earth Divine Object?" A shrill voice suddenly came from behind him, carrying a hint of disdain.
Hearing it, Lingyun's brows drew together. He sneered, "Heh, so it's Huang Se Peak Master. Do you think the 'waste' you're always going on about could claim a Heaven and Earth Divine Object? Since when did you think so highly of me? This really is a once-in-a-century sight."
"You..." Huang Se's face turned pale, his already sinister expression growing even darker. His triangular eyes sharpened, and his few half-foot-long yellow whiskers stood on end with anger.
"True enough. With a cultivation level that hasn't even reached the Golden Core Realm, how could he possibly claim it? Heaven and Earth Divine Objects are sentient; they won't simply submit to anyone." Another deep voice rang out. A burly man with a rugged, fierce countenance landed beside Huang Se, making the ground tremble several times.
"Hmph, Xiong Xiong Peak Master, you're not slow to arrive either." Huang Se looked displeased.
"It's not just Old Xiong. I, Yuan Ming, this old fossil, have come too. Hahaha!" A white-haired but spry old man appeared silently. After a hearty laugh, he looked around and added, "It's been a long time since things were this lively. The people from Vajra Gate, Blazing Flame Valley, Ice River Palace, and Mysterious Yellow Tower are probably coming too. Those old fossils... Heh."
"Now that the celestial phenomenon has appeared, I'm afraid the other sects won't be able to sit still either. Who would've thought the Five Elements sects of the Five Elements Domain on Tianmu Cultivation Star would gather like this before the Centennial Grand Competition? I wonder whether it's a blessing or a calamity." A man with a face as handsome as carved jade, dressed in a dark blue robe, spoke with the imposing authority of a ruler. No one knew when he had joined them.
The man in blue looked toward Lingyun and cupped his fists, bowing slightly. "My benefactor is here too. Could the child in your arms be the source of that strange light?"
"Mm," Lingyun replied flatly. He didn't even look at the man, only playing with the child in his arms.
"Sect Master, he's being far too rude." Huang Se bowed deeply to the man in blue, then glared at Lingyun.
It turned out the man in blue was the Sect Master of Qingyun Sect, named Qingyun. He was said to be a powerful cultivator at the Nascent Soul Late Stage, and was known throughout the Five Elements Domain as Green Cloud Master.
"Be quiet. Lingyun Peak Master is my benefactor. Showing him disrespect is showing me disrespect," Green Cloud Master snapped.
"The emperor isn't worried, but his eunuch is in a panic. Heh." Lingyun sneered, his expression full of disdain.
"You..." Huang Se flushed with rage, his yellow face turning the color of pig liver. He was about to speak, but Green Cloud Master glared at him, and he had no choice but to shut his mouth. Clearly, he feared the Sect Master of Qingyun Sect.
"Benefactor, please don't take it to heart. Peak Master Huang has always had that sort of temper." Green Cloud Master tried to smooth things over for Huang Se. What no one noticed was the flash of sharp intent in his eyes.
"Hmph." Lingyun flicked his long sleeves and snorted. Then he went back to playing with the infant without saying a word. Green Cloud Master didn't take offense and looked around.
"Hahaha, Brother Qingyun, you arrived early. No wonder, since you have the home-field advantage. Any harvest?" A hearty voice rang out, fiery as a blaze. The voice came before its owner.
"Heh, so it's Brother Chi Yan. We're at Qingyun Mountain, so what's strange about arriving early? But you, as the master of Blazing Flame Valley, came all this way and still arrived so quickly. It seems your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds." Green Cloud Master smiled calmly at the middle-aged man in a scarlet robe who had arrived before them, then continued, "We found nothing of note, only an infant."
"An infant?" Chi Yan froze. His fiery red hair fell carelessly over his robe. Chi Hongqiu—one glance was enough to tell that he had delved deeply into Fire Attribute cultivation techniques. Even the air around him seemed ready to catch fire with every gesture.
"Mm." Green Cloud Master said nothing more, merely pointing toward the infant behind him.
"The infant is surrounded by immortal aura and brimming with spiritual nature. I doubt he's an ordinary child." Just then, a middle-aged man in a yellow robe came before them. His complexion was faintly yellow, but unlike Huang Se Peak Master's waxen pallor, it was like burnished bronze. A solid, steady presence gathered around him and did not disperse. He bowed slightly to Green Cloud Master and Chi Yan, smiling as he said, "Greetings, Brother Qingyun and Brother Chi Yan."
"Tower Master Huang Liang, you're too polite." Green Cloud Master and Chi Yan returned the bow together.
From their conversation, it turned out the man was Huang Liang, the Tower Master of Mysterious Yellow Tower. His cultivation and standing were no less than those of Green Cloud Master and Chi Yan, so they naturally didn't dare slight him and promptly returned his courtesy.
"Whoosh!"
With a sharp whistle, a woman as cold as snow and jade drifted down from an ice sword wreathed in dense frost. She appeared to be twenty-four or twenty-five, with a tall, curvaceous figure. Her dark hair fell past her shoulders; her teeth were pearly, her eyes bright, and her skin as smooth as immortal jade. She seemed like a celestial maiden descended from the highest heavens, inspiring not the slightest blasphemous thought. Yet a heavy chill clung to her, freezing the air around her. Even the plants nearby were dusted with a thin layer of frost, making them glitter like crystal.
"Heh heh, Palace Mistress of Ice Heart Palace grows ever more ethereal and otherworldly. But that chill of yours is a bit much, isn't it? It's as if you're keeping everyone a thousand miles away. Sigh, the nickname 'Ice Beauty' really is well earned." Chi Yan spoke with a trace of melancholy. His eyes lingered on her lovely figure, burning with a little heat, while he sighed inwardly. Judging by the two of them, it was a case of flowers falling for the stream, while the stream flowed on without a care.
"Hmph!" At Chi Yan's words, Bing Xin gave a soft snort, so faint it was nearly inaudible. If those around her hadn't been highly cultivated, they might not have heard it.
She walked straight to the infant and examined him closely for a moment. Her brows furrowed like distant mountains, and she seemed slightly disappointed. Then she lowered her head, lost in thought. A moment later, her eyes grew resolute, as if she had made some decision. She looked up at Green Cloud Master and the others and gave a light nod, the entirety of her greeting. But when she looked at Chi Yan, her eyes widened ever so slightly, carrying seven parts annoyance and three parts bashfulness. That fleeting charm could have outshone the moon and put flowers to shame.
"Heh heh..." Chi Yan scratched his head and laughed sheepishly, his face reddening a little. Fortunately, it was already as red as fire, so the change was hard to see.
The others bowed slightly as well. They seemed to know Bing Xin's aloof nature and didn't take offense at her manner.
"From the look on Ice Fairy's face, does she also want to take the infant as a disciple? Doesn't the inner palace of Ice Heart Palace never accept male disciples?" Huang Liang asked in surprise. The others nearby nodded in agreement.
"Unpolished Jade is hard to find even once in a thousand years." Bing Xin was as sparing with words as ever, cool as water and calm as ice.
"How come Jin Ming still hasn't arrived? Even Old Huang, who was the farthest away, has made it. This isn't like him. Isn't he usually the most eager to show up for this sort of thing? Has he had a change of heart? Heh heh." Chi Yan sounded seven parts puzzled and three parts teasing. The others seemed to agree, nodding along.
"Hahaha, Old Chi, were you talking behind my back? Once things are settled, you and I should have a little friendly match. I heard your Blazing Fire Art has improved again. It's been ages since we crossed hands, and my fists are itching!" Jin Ming arrived with a rush of wind. He looked to be around forty, short and almost gaunt, yet strands of sharp, metallic energy radiated from him, making him seem exceptionally capable. No one dared look down on him.
"Well, Old Jin, you see, everyone's pretty busy. Let's just forget about that friendly match, all right? Heh heh." Chi Yan laughed awkwardly, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.
"Hahaha, got your comeuppance, huh? That'll teach you to show off." Huang Liang burst into laughter. The others couldn't hold back either—even the cold as an iceberg Bing Xin revealed the faintest dimple of a smile. Seeing that smile, Chi Yan nearly swooned with happiness, and his embarrassment vanished in an instant.
"All right, enough joking. Old Jin, what took you so long? You're practically overflowing with killing intent. Did you get into another fight?" Green Cloud Master asked. Though it was phrased as a question, his tone made it sound certain.
"Heh heh, I ran into a few blind fools blocking my way, so I took care of them on the spot. That's why I'm a little late. Forgive me, everyone." Jin Ming looked utterly nonchalant, as if he hadn't a care in the world. He made it sound as though he'd merely crushed a few ants. Human life really was cheap in his eyes—hardly worth a thought.
"You, you... Your taste for killing is as strong as ever. I'm afraid your Killing Intent will weigh you down when you face your tribulation. You'd better focus on cultivating your heart for now and stop picking fights, heh heh." Green Cloud Master smiled.