Lively Shixin Peak

Amid the eager anticipation of Misty Hall's disciples, the first to arrive was neither Misty Hall's carriage nor the older Wuming Hall disciple stationed outside You Lan Grand Canyon, but Senior Brother Quan, who had escorted Zhang Xiaohua back to Pill-Refining Hall.

Senior Brother Quan's face was somewhat gloomy, and he looked rather displeased. It was understandable: he had first rushed to Baiyue Peak, then without stopping had caught up with the convoy escorting Yi Xiang Peak's inner disciples. Yet upon reaching the foot of Yi Xiang Peak, he had still been unable to go forward and had instead been dispatched to Shixin Peak. No one would have worn a pleasant expression after that.

Behind Senior Brother Quan stood another honest-looking disciple, followed by several carriages. Together with the dozen or so disciples who had gone ahead to escort them, they were all guarding that severely injured female disciple. Only two disciples—oh, and one disciple driving a carriage—three in all, had been sent to escort Zhang Xiaohu's party of three and their four carriages.

Right behind the Wuming Hall disciples came the broad-built Zhang Xiaohu, seated atop the foremost carriage and putting on airs as he waved the whip. His carriage horses had been exchanged at Wuming Hall's station for horses specially trained to pull carts. Even without a whip, they would have obeyed perfectly.

From far away, Zhang Xiaohu saw the Misty Hall disciples gathered at the entrance to the mountain path, with Misty Hall's three Hall Masters standing in the middle. He no longer dared remain seated on the carriage and hurriedly jumped down, leading the horse by its reins step by step up Shixin Peak.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohu get down, Changge and Chen Chen also copied him and leaped down, following behind his carriage.

Yang Ruying was