Within an ancient, silent mountain range.
Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge, leaders of the Cultivation World's two great powers, met each other's gaze, their auras clashing!
In an instant!
A tremendous aura burst from both of them, their invisible presence soaring into the sky!
It climbed higher and higher...
At that moment, it felt as though even the air had frozen.
An invisible, colorless aura erupted and swept outward like mountains crashing into the sea, stirring up a storm among the peaks.
Their auras clashed, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Both were at the peak of the Mahayana Realm.
Yuan Ruoyu felt a chill in her heart, and her expression grew more solemn.
Everyone said that Her Majesty the Empress of the Liyue Immortal Dynasty possessed peerless talent and unmatched brilliance. Seeing her today, Yuan Ruoyu found the rumors well deserved.
Ye Qingge was astonished. The current Holy Venerable of the Jade Pool Holy Land is truly formidable!
For a moment, both of them felt caught between a rock and a hard place.
As the two powerhouses faced off, the forces of the Jade Pool Holy Land and the Liyue Immortal Dynasty behind them also wore grave expressions, ready to fight at any moment.
A murderous atmosphere descended.
Even the bright sky seemed to dim, filling everyone with a sense of oppression.
If a great battle broke out, it would be no trivial matter.
By then, nearly every corner of the surrounding mountain range had been claimed by a sect.
Some rogue cultivators were also hidden in the wilderness.
All of them watched the scene with eager interest, edging a little closer.
"This is going to be quite a show!"
"The Jade Pool Holy Land against the Liyue Immortal Dynasty—I wonder which side is stronger?"
"If they start fighting, won't the very heavens and earth be turned upside down?"
"Let's move farther away, so we don't get caught in it..."
"Haha, it's been ages since the Cultivation World had a show like this, hasn't it? Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge are both renowned powerhouses!"
Then, a deafening sound rang out.
Boom!
From the very mountain the two sides were vying for came a sudden, earth-shaking roar.
The earth shook and the mountains trembled!
The forces facing off all changed expression. Those with lower cultivation staggered, their bodies swaying.
Ye Qingge and Yuan Ruoyu both turned to look in the same direction at once.
A section of the mountain had just exploded.
A tremendous aura burst out from within, and a terrifying pressure poured down like a river from the heavens.
Everyone within a radius of several hundred miles turned pale.
"An Emperor's pressure!"
"This aura—it's an Emperor!"
"Only a Tribulation Transcendence Realm expert could have such astonishing pressure!"
"But why would an Emperor be here? Did he come for the secret of Cangwu Mountain too?"
"Of course. I can't believe this even alarmed an Emperor."
"But which Emperor has arrived?"
Countless gazes converged within the vast mountain range at this sudden turn of events.
Everyone was deeply shocked.
After their initial astonishment, the sect leaders of several super sects gradually grew grim.
An Emperor had come in person. It seemed this contest would be exceptionally difficult.
Ye Qingge's gaze turned icy. A large group of guards stepped forward, while Gongyang Mu and a number of ministers shielded her at the center.
"Your Majesty, be careful!"
Gongyang Mu gave a solemn warning, then set up a formation and took a defensive stance.
On the other side,
Yuan Ruoyu's expression was equally tense. The Great Elder and the others beside her faced the threat as though preparing for battle, silently ready to pay any price.
After a brief moment of surprise, Yuan Ruoyu quickly regained her composure and waved a hand. "There's no need to panic!"
Her calm, collected tone steadied everyone.
Just then, a fissure split open in the shattered mountainside, and rolling black mist poured out.
A figure cloaked from head to toe in black mist shot into the air.
The black mist blotted out the sky, and the hazy figure stood in midair.
Through the mist,
a pair of pale purple eyes swept coldly over the mountains below.
Everyone among the peaks held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
This was an Emperor.
No matter the circumstances, such a figure deserved the utmost respect.
At last, those pale purple eyes settled on the people of the Jade Pool Holy Land and the Liyue Immortal Dynasty.
A cold voice rang out from the mist. "This mountain already has an owner. Get lost!"
As soon as the words fell,
the forces facing off all breathed a sigh of relief.
Both sides were powerful, but if an Emperor decided to attack them, the place would still run red with blood today.
They hadn't even seen the opportunities Cangwu Mountain held, and they would already be dead.
No one wanted that.
Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge had been handed a way out. They exchanged a glance, then both snorted.
"Hmph!"
Neither of them was willing to back down!
Ye Qingge turned and walked back to the luxurious Imperial Chariot, giving an order. "Since the Emperor arrived first, we'll find another place."
Yuan Ruoyu also led the disciples of the Jade Pool Holy Land away.
A short while later,
both sides set up camp in the mountain range. Disciples chopped down large trees to build their camps.
Ye Qingge's Imperial Chariot was itself a powerful treasure, with an interior as spacious as a palace.
She moved straight in, while her guards had to be settled elsewhere.
In the distance,
a white-clad youth sat beneath an ancient tree atop a mountain.
He had a handsome face and an exceptional bearing. At that moment, he sat on a huge boulder, roasting a large piece of meat.
Ye Xi watched as Yuan Ruoyu and Ye Qingge each withdrew.
"Phew..."
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and let out a long breath. Good thing they didn't start fighting.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten to eat this meat.
But when Ye Xi thought back to what had just happened, he couldn't help smiling wryly. "They nearly started fighting as soon as I got here. What a coincidence!"
Sizzle—
A burnt smell rose from the meat, and Ye Xi came back to his senses. He quickly lifted it off the fire.
"Thank goodness. It almost burned..."
Ye Xi had a rather unusual way of eating, too. First, he took out a wooden board and placed the large piece of roasted meat on it.
He sprinkled on some salt and dark, almost black seasoning.
Then he took out a knife and a fork, cut the meat into pieces, and used the fork to bring them to his mouth.
This sight!
Several young women nearby, who had been watching him in secret, were utterly amazed.
They had noticed Ye Xi alone, handsome and distinguished, and had felt their hearts stir. That was why they'd been keeping an eye on him.
"You can eat barbecue like that?"
"But it must taste quite different this way!"
"It smells so good. It looks delicious."
"I've never seen anyone eat like you do. I want to try it too..."
The girls watched Ye Xi eat the cut pieces one bite at a time, their eyes shining and their hearts pounding.
At last, one graceful, pretty young woman lost patience, gathered her courage, and stepped forward.
She wore a pale yellow dress, its neckline revealing a glimpse of her cleavage. After hesitating, she discreetly tugged it a little lower.
Her curves showed to even greater effect...
Qiao Xi blushed as she landed dozens of paces from Ye Xi, then walked slowly toward him.
The closer she got, the more she realized just how handsome the young man before her was!
But when she drew near, she saw pale red juices oozing from the meat.
It clearly wasn't fully cooked.
Qiao Xi furrowed her brow and couldn't help saying softly, "Young master, your meat isn't cooked through. There's still blood in it. Be careful you don't get sick."
Ye Xi looked up and explained, "That isn't blood. It's myoglobin, a kind of... highly valuable essence from a demonic beast."
"Really?"
Qiao Xi's admiration for him grew, and her heart raced. Not only was he handsome, he was talented too!
Myoglobin?
She came from a distinguished family, yet she'd never heard that word before. It sounded so profound and impressive.
Ye Xi smiled and nodded, then invited her to sit and eat with him.
Qiao Xi blushed, her appetite stirred. She quietly sat beside him, though she didn't know what to do with her hands.
"I haven't had the pleasure of learning your name, miss."
As he spoke, Ye Xi took out another knife and fork to use as cutlery and handed them to her.
He also gave her a piece of roasted meat.
Qiao Xi was flattered.
She took the cutlery and followed his example, gently slicing the meat into small pieces before bringing them to her mouth.
"My name is Qiao Xi, and I'm from the Qiao Clan in Yan Province."
After introducing herself, Qiao Xi asked softly, "And you?"
As they chatted, the atmosphere gradually grew warmer. There was always plenty for a young man and woman to talk about.
Ye Xi's expression turned solemn. He lifted his chin and said with some pride, "Nicholas Ye Xi!"
"What?"
Qiao Xi's eyes widened, and the words slipped out before she could stop them.
Then she smiled awkwardly. "That's a very unique surname. I've never heard it before."
Ye Xi said proudly, "Right? It's one of a kind!"
He clearly thought highly of his surname.
He was very proud of it!
Qiao Xi smiled again, not knowing what to say.
She quickly changed the subject.
As they continued talking, she discovered that Ye Xi really was an oddball.
No matter what they discussed, he always came up with strange terms and opinions.
They were things she'd never heard before.
He seemed so out of place. Qiao Xi wondered: Why does this feel a little like the Great Emperor's Diary?
That only made her more intrigued...
He was practically a mysterious, puzzle-like handsome man. She liked him.
And so, two more days passed.
More and more forces gathered in the Heavenly Mist Domain, until everywhere was packed with people.
The region within several thousand miles of Cangwu Mountain was nearly filled with cultivators from every direction.
The reason no one had stormed Cangwu Mountain yet
was mainly because it was the An Clan's territory, protected by a grand formation.
They hoped the An Clan would open Cangwu Mountain of its own accord and remove the restrictions and seals within.
That way, they could avoid needless casualties.
Everyone took it for granted that, under the circumstances, the An Clan wouldn't dare stand against the cultivators of the world!
At last,
the An Clan made a move that day. Their clan leader, An Shanyuan, came to the mountain range under the protection of his guards.
The various powers sprang into action at the news, each sending representatives to gather in one place.
They wanted to find out what the An Clan would decide...
On a vast plain, representatives of the various powers surrounded the An Clan members until they were completely hemmed in.
An Shanyuan stood tall and straight. After surveying the crowd, he spoke in a deep voice:
"I understand why you've come from so far away!"
"But Cangwu Mountain is where the ancestors of my An Clan have rested for generations. We cannot allow everyone to enter. My apologies!"
As soon as he said this, an uproar erupted.
Before you continue