Spring Snow Gives Birth to a Rainbow Bridge, Myriad Immortal Qi Gathers on the Divine Peak

It was the hour of dusk, the setting sun casting its glow upon overlapping peaks and pouring crimson light across the myriad mountains.

Deep within a scenic, verdant, and towering mountain not far from the Ice Wind Forest, two groups of people gathered together. Among them, the two leaders sat facing each other on a cliff, gazing into the distance at the setting sun and chatting merrily.

"Has Brother Shaoquan investigated the origins of that batch of people?"

"Not yet, and one of my top experts even suffered losses because of it. His manner of death was utterly gruesome and suspected to be snake venom; judging by the methods, it rather resembles the Five Poison Sect."

"The Five Poison Sect? Ever since the Five Poison Lord died, the Five Poison Sect has only been left with two or three kittens and puppies. Could they actually possess an invitation as well?"

"It may not be the Five Poison Sect."

"Oh?"

A sharp glint flashed in the eyes of the goat-bearded old man. He turned his head to look at Shao Yu Feng, who had sparse hair yet a handsome countenance, and smiled faintly, "When it comes to gathering intelligence in the Jianghu of the Nanxun Kingdom, only the Solitary Forest Villa established single-handedly by Brother Shao has such reach. It would seem Brother Shao already has some conjectures regarding the origins of that group of people?"

Shao Yu Feng flapped his feather fan with a dashing and romantic air, calmly saying, "Two months ago, Chen Family Head Chen Dengming already vanished from the Chen Family, his whereabouts unknown.

Prior to that, a batch of top experts who had never appeared in the Jianghu suddenly emerged near the Ice Wind Forest. Moreover, these experts all came from the south. To speak of the various Jianghu factions in the south capable of nurturing this group, there are three.

Yet one of them is you, Brother Nangong, and I am quite familiar with the foundation of another. That leaves only the Chen Family."

The old man's eyes narrowed. "Eighth Under Heaven, Chen Dengming."

Shao Yu Feng said with a calm smile, "Number One Under Heaven is not necessarily the first, and Eighth Under Heaven is not necessarily the eighth.

All under heaven say that this Chen Dengming received the sovereign's praise, was bestowed the title of Nanxun Saber King, and serves as grand tutor to the imperial court—surely a time of supreme triumph in life. Yet how could they know how this hidden dragon could ever be willing to bow its head and submit as a true dragon?

Climb to the supreme peak and gaze upon the myriad mountains. Better not to crow at all, but once you do, astound the world.

For many years, this man Chen Dengming has lived in seclusion, maintaining an extremely low profile and rarely fighting others. Whenever he does cross blows, he almost invariably wins with a narrow advantage. Although he is hailed as the Nanxun Saber King and seemingly possesses the most exquisite blade Dao, the martial arts he displays are actually incomparably eclectic, yet profound within that eclecticism. He is someone I cannot see through."

The old man was astonished, smiling, "People in this world capable of winning such high praise from you, Brother Shao, are as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Someone capable of leaving Brother Shao unable to see through them is even rarer. It would seem this Eighth Under Heaven is indeed extraordinary. If he holds an invitation, we had best not harbor designs upon him."

"That is not necessarily true."

Shao Yu Feng sighed and said, "If he truly holds an invitation, it seems we will have no choice but to harbor designs upon him. Aside from you and me, among the other five people, Arctic Elder has already been jointly defeated by the two of us, yet he holds no invitation. Among the remaining four, who is simple?

Only this eighth man is not only a newly advanced Xiantian, but he stepped into the Xiantian realm only at the age of sixty-five. Clearly, his martial arts aptitude is not considered strong, and the Chen Family's foundation is also the shallowest."

"So be it!"

The old man shook his head, then nodded, smiling derisively, "The descent of a true immortal is indeed an event of a century, to the point that even the monarch was willing to part with two princes. How could you not strive for it? It is only a pity that my foundation has been destroyed and I do not have many years left to live. I only hope that if Brother Shao succeeds, you will not forget the matter you promised me."

Shao Yu Feng replied, "Brother Nangong need not worry. Once I enter, I will certainly take care of your descendants. If I truly attain the Dao and become an immortal, the next batch of invitations will certainly include a share for your Nangong Family. If I am fated to miss the immortal Dao, the numerous land deeds and properties of the Shaoyu Family are truly of no use, and a portion of them has already been handed over to your hands."

Nangong laughed heartily, his mood exceptionally carefree.

He did not have many years left to live, and furthermore, his martial arts foundation had been destroyed. Even if he held an invitation, it would only be used to support younger generations in entering the Ascension Convention, and he was willing to risk his life to strive for blessings for them. However, asking him to directly hand over an invitation as a transaction was an absolute impossibility.

Therefore, he agreed to help Shao Yu Feng seize another's invitation, while the transaction in return was for Shao Yu Feng to care for his family's disciples and plot fortunes for the lineage.

The Shaoyu Family had historically been a brother clan to the Nangong Family, and to this day their ties remained close and trustworthy.

In the blink of an eye, two and a half months later.

Midsummer arrived.

Ten million rays of light pierced through the cloud layer, shooting down into the mountains of the Ice Wind Forest.

In an instant, the distant and nearby ridges covered in patches of ice and snow were all illuminated until they were crystal-clear and translucent, resembling a forest carved from pristine, glittering alabaster.

On this day, deep within the Ice Wind Forest, a change of the most bizarre and uncanny nature finally occurred.

Behold, atop peak after peak, as if due to the contact between sunlight and ice and snow, a reaction resembling melting spring snow occurred, floating up a layer of rain-mist-like light vapor that shrouded peak after peak in dreamlike mist and rainbows, bearing a divine resemblance to the descent of an immortal realm.

Such a magnificent spectacle had occurred during past summers in the Ice Wind Forest as well.

Yet this time was especially different, because all the floating vapors ultimately converged toward a single direction, gradually forming a water-spout-like siphon effect and steadily producing a grand, heaven-supporting pillar that connected heaven and earth.

That heaven-supporting pillar was formed from mist. As the sunlight shone into it, turbidity revealed a trace of mystery, running straight up into the firmament and seemingly forming a gigantic cliff.

"Misty Cliff!?"

"The Ice Wind Forest, Misty Cliff?"

"All days searching for the cliff without finding it, today raising one's head to see the heavenly dragon. Spring snow gives birth to a rainbow bridge, myriad immortal qi gathers on the divine peak. So this is the Misty Cliff?"

Within the Ice Wind Forest, numerous figures darted out from various corners, raising their heads in shock as they gazed at the heaven-defying Misty Cliff, finding it unbelievable.

Instantly, someone realized—did this mean they had to climb such a misty mountain peak composed of clouds?

How incredibly difficult was this, and how could it possibly be accomplished?

Even with peerless lightness gong to ride the wind and depart, the gale winds high up in the sky were biting and fierce. If one were the slightest bit careless and got blown down by the gale winds, wouldn't they be smashed to pieces?

The Ascension Dao, treading the immortal path—was it truly so difficult as ascending to heaven for a mortal?

At this thought, even though some among them were martial arts grandmasters, they could not help but tremble in heart and turn slightly pale of face.

Yet after the shock and trance, more of those who came here still rapidly solidified their convictions, unwavering to the end as they executed their lightness gong to swiftly head toward the highest peak beneath the Misty Cliff.

Since it was said that having an invitation allowed entry into the Ascension Convention, perhaps climbing to heaven was not so difficult, and the invitation might possess some kind of miraculous guiding power?

A few days later.

Already several dozen people had arrived at the peak beneath the Misty Cliff.

Many among them were supreme experts renowned throughout the world. Some of them had come alone, while others brought younger generations of their family lineage.

Three of them were Xiantian grandmasters from the previous era, so old that their teeth were on the verge of falling out.

Many people had assumed they had already died of old age in some deep mountain and old forest, yet unexpectedly they had reappeared, causing even Chen Family Head Nangong Shuo to feel a formidable threat.

He had originally thought that at one hundred and two years of age, he was already the oldest among the current Eight Xiantian Grandmasters, with the most profound cultivation.

He never expected that old seniors from the previous era were actually not dead yet, and among them were individuals whose exploits he had listened to since childhood, being at least over one hundred and thirty years old.

Toward these old immortals, he desperately wanted to probe them and assist Shao Yu Feng in seizing an invitation, testing whether these old immortals had grown so aged that they lacked much strength. Yet when his gaze brushed against their cold eyes, fear gripped his heart and he dared not act.

The two gathered together to deliberate, feeling that these old immortals might have also joined forces. Moreover, with neither of them having many years left to live, the Ascension Convention was their only chance; whoever dared to demand their invitations, they would dare to fight to the death.

"Chen Dengming has not appeared yet. Let us wait a bit longer. First, test whether the cultivation of those few others has regressed."

Nangong Shuo and Shao Yu Feng transmitted their voices privately, a desire to test things arising as their gazes swept across the other similarly renowned Xiantian grandmasters.

Even though Nangong Shuo fancied himself the foremost Xiantian with the most formidable cultivation, he still did not dare to look down upon the other Xiantian grandmasters too much. His strikes should also be primarily exploratory, leaving room for maneuver without cutting off all paths of retreat.