Ice Mallow Grand Gathering

"Slap"

The magnificent jade goblet was smashed to pieces by Fei Tianqin's throwing. The old man's eyes gleamed with intense displeasure as he muttered resentfully, "The Original Buddha Sect!!"

Fei Ye Shui sighed softly and said calmly, "Brother, don't worry. Perhaps when I asked last time, they took the wrong pepper seeds."

"Ha, brother, you certainly know how to defend those bald thieves." Fei Tianqin shook his head for a while, but then just sighed.

Even if Buddhism and Daoism were not flourishing within the territory of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, the Original Buddha Sect was still a genuine Exoteric Buddhism temple of the Manifest Sect. They had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill; how could the Fei Household dare to make a fuss about it in the slightest?

As Fei Ye Shui's condition worsened, similar incidents would only increase. Fei Tianqin knew this was not the time to be angry, so he suppressed his resentment and asked in a low voice, "Brother, have you explained things clearly to that Daoist Peng?"

"That Daoist priest was evasive at first, but after some skillful maneuvering, he turned out to be quite honest." Fei Ye Shui chuckled, and seeing Fei Tianqin's increasingly concerned gaze, he laughed again.

"He has no other Pill Formula at hand, but if the Crimson Realm Life-Prolonging Pill is truly taken with a perfect refining method, it can extend the life of the person taking the pill by two Jiazi (60 years). For my foolish brother to reach the Nascent Soul stage, it can increase the chances of victory by at least 20%."

Fei Tianqin's eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly said, "Then what is there to hesitate about? Even if it's not for himself, brother, it's for the sake of the Fei Household."

When he mentioned "for the sake of the Fei Household," the old man pointed to the broken jade fragments on the ground. Fei Ye Shui stared at the colorful light radiating from those fragments for a moment, then finally said in a deep voice:

"Brother, don't be anxious. As you said, let's wait until that boy has completed his cultivation before making any decisions."

Upon hearing this, Fei Tianqin's sharp eyes flashed with a rare hint of complexity. "This fortuitous opportunity is rare, but with wolves lurking outside, I wonder if this young man can seize it."

Fei Ye Shui laughed heartily, seemingly less bothered by the old fox's attitude. "It's alright, we have to try. Otherwise, how will you know this young man isn't the one who can break the deadlock?!"

"Ha, even if it's difficult," Fei Tianqin said pessimistically, "The unpleasant guests should be arriving soon, have you made proper arrangements, brother?"

"All matters are to be arranged by Nanxi, brother. Rest assured, I am still alive and this storm will not rage." Fei Ye Shui made a hand gesture, and the hundreds of yellow oracle bone inscriptions embedded in the surrounding stone walls began to flicker again. When the kind-faced old monk gently uttered the word "calm," the oracle bone inscriptions in front of him gradually stopped moving.

Fei Ye Shui looked at the divination result, and his smile deepened, "Haha, 'Qian represents Heaven, signifying great success, prosperity, and perseverance; strong, healthy, and upright.' This divination is extremely auspicious."

Fei Tianqin said unhappily, "I don't believe in these things, brother. Those thieving monks from the Dragon and Tiger Sect and the Original Buddha Sect are used to taking these divinations seriously, scheming and plotting all day long. It's too much of a waste of energy. Brother, don't get obsessed with this."

My brother, please stay home and take charge for now. I will go to Great Abyss Capital first to personally report to the two kings of the North and South. My Fei Household Kuang Household has shed blood and died for the sake of the country for generations. The bones buried underground would probably be higher than the city walls of Great Abyss Capital. We can't really end up as lackeys."

After saying this, the old bird transformed into a streak of light and, just as he had said, headed straight for Great Abyss Capital.

After Fei Ye Shui passed by, his smile faded, and he settled into his lotus-shaped jade platform, closing his eyes to cultivate. However, with each breath of his inner energy, a barely audible murmur of mocking laughter seemed to echo within the Core-Embracing Terrace:

"My brother has lived for nearly two thousand years, yet he still couldn't see things clearly. Ah, the Kuang Household."

After Sect Leader Kang Da followed the grass puppet out of the Core-Embracing Terrace, Fei Nanyi was waiting in the outer room. The former's expression turned solemn, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you for waiting for me, Uncle."

Fei Nanyi was clearly different from Fei Nanying temperament, and was much more approachable. "Young Master Kang has traveled a long way under the moon and stars, what is a little waiting time for me? Come, Cousin Nanxi has already prepared a banquet to welcome Young Master Kang, so let's not keep him waiting any longer. Come with me in the imperial carriage."

Kang Dabao naturally did not refuse and strode onto Fei Nanyi's imperial carriage.

The Sect Leader Kang Da was still feeling uneasy. Fei Nanyi was kind to people, but he was not a talkative person. So the two of them walked in silence and soon arrived at the place where the banquet was to be held.

There weren't many people at the banquet. Apart from Fei Shuhe, Changyi, Changxi, and Kang Dabao had Fei Wanqing once before, there were only Fei Nanxi and four or five False Core accompanying them. They were all obviously influential figures in their clans.

Upon seeing the two arrive, Fei Nanxi, seated at the head of the table, bowed respectfully to the Sect Leader Kang Da of the sect, then said with a smile, "This is a family banquet; Mr. Kang, there's no need for such formalities."

Upon seeing this scene, Fei Shuhe robes of a noblewoman and wearing a pheasant crown, felt a surge of joy in her eyes and a sense of delight.

Years ago, after returning to her clan's territory alone and being stared at and ridiculed by her relatives, she had imagined this scene unfolding before her eyes.

The fact that her husband was treated with such courtesy by a high-ranking official was enough to satisfy this beautiful woman. One wonders what her feelings would be if she knew that Kang Dabao hadn't been questioned but instead received a jar of wine from Ancestor Ye Shui before being released.

Kang Dabao was unaware of his wife's joyful mood. He simply drank the unimportant welcoming wine with the elders of his Yue Household at the table and then politely took his leave.

Only at the last minute did Fei Nanxi offer a vague reminder: "Young Master Kang, please make good preparations. If one or two guests come to visit later, please help me receive them properly."

After speaking, the superior man, along with Fei Nanyi and the others, greeted Kang Dabao's family and then departed.

It's clear that those who came to receive us are not idle people; it's already quite remarkable that they could spare the time to welcome a guest from afar, so how could they stay for long?

While Sect Leader Kang Da was still pondering the meaning of those words, Fei Shuhe gracefully approached, took his arm, and led him to speak with Fei Wanqing.

This only daughter of Fei Nanying carries the bloodline of the Yukun Han Household. As one of the few Ice Leaf Foundation Establishment in the Fei Household this generation, she is about ten years younger than Fei Shuhe. However, she has already reached the Foundation Establishment Peak and is in urgent need of Core Formation. What is even more remarkable is that she is also very beautiful.

The phrase "Her shoulders are like snow-covered pines, her waist like cold jade bound with ice" is quite fitting for Fei Wanqing.

She was dressed in a light and elegant moon-white silk robe, which was still beautiful; the hem of the robe was embroidered with cloud patterns, adding a touch of liveliness; her black hair was half-tied up with a bamboo-joint hairpin, adding to her simple elegance.

For an Aristocratic Clan family like the Fei Household, a daughter as talented as Fei Wanqing should be kept in the family regardless of whether she is a legitimate or illegitimate child.

Except in dire circumstances, such as when the Kuang Household family wanted to marry her off to the empress, she would never marry out. After all, marrying out would mean giving away a Golden Core to another family, something even wealthy families rarely do.

It is said that the elder of the Fei Household who was betrothed to the current emperor as empress did not have a good ending either. Not long after forming the Golden Core, he died mysteriously in his palace.

After a period of fury, the Kuang Household conducted a thorough search, but ultimately found nothing.

The current empress comes from the Dai County Xu Household, Sect Leader Kang Da also had an acquaintance in this Nascent Soul clan.

The Empress of the Dai County Xu Household only formed her Golden Core a hundred years ago. It seems that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, she will live several more years than the current Emperor.

If Kuang Liuting had not yet achieved the Golden Core, the Xu Household might still have harbored thoughts of forging alliances through marriage and ruling from behind the curtain. However, since the emergence of the Upper-Grade Golden Core, such thoughts have vanished.

These matters of national importance are not something a few True Cultivator can comment on. Only after the Sect Leader Kang Da and Fei Wanqing had a serious exchange did Fei Shuhe speak again, saying, "My sister has already tidied up the house and invites us to come back and stay."

The beautiful woman's joy was so obvious that even her two sons beside her could sense it.

Before heading to Ying Prefecture, Fei Shuhe was still a little afraid of being treated coldly by the clan again, just like last time. But now that all her worries were off, she felt much more relaxed.

Compared to Fei Shuhe, who seemed carefree, Sect Leader Kang Da noticed a hint of worry in Fei Wanqing's beautiful eyes. However, he didn't press her for details. He simply thanked her along with his two sons and followed them back to their residence in the clan's territory at the She Mountain Hall.

Most of the elite troops of the She Mountain Hall have been conscripted by the family head Fei Nanying to the barren land of Cloud Horn Prefecture, and Golden Core Nanying is the only Fei Nanying.

Therefore, the one who remained to preside over the clan's territory was merely a fake alchemist, named Fei Entong. He was older than Granny Fei Liu, but his seniority was equal to that of the Fei sisters, Fei Shuhe and Fei Liu.

Kang Dabao exchanged a few casual words with his brother-in-law, but he didn't see anything particularly outstanding about the latter. In terms of sheer presence and inner strength, he might not even be as good as the alchemists from the north and south of the mountain who had died at his hands.

No wonder Fei Nanying didn't summon him to serve in Shannan Circuit; he was just an old and useless man who could only do some relaying work in the clan's territory.

Fei Wanqing prepared the former residence of Fei Shuhe's parents for the Sect Leader Kang Da wife. This place held many memories for the beautiful woman. The Sect Leader Kang Da showed little interest, but was considerate enough to accompany Fei Shuhe to meet many of her cousins who came to visit in the following days.

Kang Dabao didn't find the imperial robes and crown particularly appealing, but he still showered Fei Shuhe with compliments.

The Sect Leader Kang Da, who came from a remote military prefecture, clearly underestimated the value of an "imperial title" to these young women and wives who had pinned their hopes for half their lives on marriage.

Many people here, when they heard that Fei Shuhe had married a minor Qi Refinement from a small border region, couldn't help but ridicule her, whether openly or secretly.

Fei Shuhe had been quite pleased with her correspondence before, and now that she was living with her sisters, she felt even more triumphant.

As a result, Master Kang has been extremely tired these past few days, and he almost collapsed under the gentle and affectionate advances of his wife.

If a young woman is willing to entrust her heart and soul to you, how could a mere Primordial Ancient Body on the verge of perfection possibly withstand her?

The couple were deeply in love here, and Kang Changyi and Kang Changxi also visited several groups of Fei Household members of the same generation a few times.

It is no exaggeration to say that Patriarch Ye Shui enjoys great prestige in the Fei Household. The important figures in the Fei Household know Patriarch Ye Suo's intentions and may not be able to let go of what happened to Kang Dabao back then, but for the younger generation of the Fei Household who are in the prime of their lives, it is hard not to mind.

However, few of the accomplished figures from the She Mountain Hall did not go south, and the clan elders among them would not get involved in the affairs of the younger generation. Therefore, the two brothers were somewhat uncontrollable.

Kang Changyi was older and had been taught by his birth mother for many years, so he was less sharp-tongued. But Kang Changxi was different. When he heard the words "bastard" and "mixed surname" from the other side, he couldn't help but get really angry.

Kang Changyi, unable to dissuade his elder brother, naturally wouldn't stand idly by, which brought some liveliness to the long-desolate and silent She Mountain Hall.

For several days, the younger members of the Fei Household had been constantly mourning Fei Entong.

However, the old man felt that the younger generation was foolish and useless, and had disgraced the Fei Household in front of the guests. He had no face to confront them, so he simply ignored them. Not only did he ignore them, but he also scolded a few Fei Household elders who didn't know their place and almost joined in the commotion.

In the end, it was Fei Wanqing, the concubine, who, seeing that the situation had become truly out of control, finally gave the Kang Household brothers a lecture and admonishment.

It's fine if they only engage in small-scale skirmishes within their own community, but if these juniors in the She Mountain Hall suffer a crushing defeat and, disregarding all shame, tell other halls about it, attracting their united hatred and causing further trouble.

Fei Wanqing knew that with a storm brewing, the elders in the family would not want to be disturbed by such trivial matters, so she told her two brothers to take good care of their parents.

Fei Shuhe had no resentment towards her cousin for ruining her relationship; on the contrary, she was quite happy about it. However, she neglected her own son Kang Changxi.

These days, when guests come, it's always the eldest son, Kang Changyi, who is brought by Fei Shuhe to meet these visiting aunts and uncles.

Sect Leader Kang Da had long known that this beautiful woman intended to marry a daughter of the Fei Household to his eldest son, and this was a perfect opportunity.

The phrases "personally passed down to the Golden Core cultivator, Dual Spirit Root, and Foundation Establishment Late Stage" are quite impressive even within the Fei Household. Coupled with Kang Changyi's handsome appearance, which resembles his mother's, he has attracted many suitors.

However, while Fei Shuhe was still fretting about how to select candidates, Fei Wanqing came to visit.

Fei Shuhe knew that her younger cousin was at a crucial stage in perfecting her Core Thesis, and that she always had something to discuss when she visited. Therefore, she asked, "Why have you come today, sister?"

"Sister, you've been away from home for too long; you've forgotten that this year is the Year of the Ice Sunflower."

"The Year of the Ice Sunflower?!" Fei Shuhe's beautiful eyes flashed with surprise, then she said in astonishment, "Since it's already the Year of the Ice Sunflower, doesn't that mean there will be a grand competition among the various halls? Our She Mountain Hall doesn't have many clansmen in our clan territory, wouldn't we be at a great disadvantage?"

"Sister, this year's competition will be different from previous years."

"How is it different? The Five-Spirit Ice Mallow is beneficial for improving the quality of a cultivator's Core Formation. Only one plant can be obtained every five cycles of sixty years. Historically, this spiritual item has been won through a clan-wide competition. How come it was Esteemed Jade Hall and his group this year?"

Fei Shuhe subconsciously assumed that Esteemed Jade Hall, who was from the Ye Shui family, was about to break the rules.

Therefore, Esteemed Jade Hall is currently the most powerful, with nine of its seventeen Golden Core cultivators. Even disregarding Fei Ye Shui's extraordinary presence, it would be extremely difficult for the other halls to join forces against it.

Moreover, in previous Five-Spirit Ice Mallow Competitions, Esteemed Jade Hall had won nine out of ten times based solely on his strength. In reality, this so-called grand competition was more of a grand event for the Fei Household.

At this point, it became clear how much the elite warriors of the She Mountain Hall who had followed Fei Nanying to settle in the Fei Nanying of the Mountain South were at a disadvantage. Not only did they not receive any of the benefits from their families, but they were also forced to sit in a remote and impoverished area as the vanguard of the king, which naturally made them somewhat resentful.

Fei Wanqing shook her head upon hearing Fei Shuhe's words. Before the latter could understand, the usually composed Sect Leader Kang Da was suddenly startled, thinking to himself, "One or two guests."

Sure enough, just as Kang Dabao had this thought, Fei Wanqing Fei Shuhe in a hoarse voice, "Sister, this time, it's unlikely that our Fei Household will have all the Five-Spirit Ice Mallow."

The latter's pupils dilated, and he exclaimed in surprise, "What?!"

The Five-Spirit Ice Mallow was Spirit Root obtained by the Fei Household's ancestor from the Northern Nether Cold Abyss. Even during the previous dynasty, it was never shared with anyone. Now, the Ying Prefecture Fei Household is clearly still very prosperous, so how could this happen?

"Ancestor Ye Shui said that to express gratitude for the many years of help from relatives and friends, he would use this spiritual object to hold the Ice Mallow Grand Gathering to maintain the friendship between relatives and friends."

Sect Leader Kang Da frowned. He didn't know what this so-called Five-Spirit Ice Mallow was, but judging from his wife's reaction, he knew that this was a serious matter.

Then a thought flashed through his mind, and he thought to himself, "A riot of colors, a blazing fire. Is this because Ancestor Ye Shui has already foreseen that the current emperor will revoke this favor after his death? Or does Ancestor Ye Shui truly feel that the world's power dynamics are changing, and that relying solely on aligning with the Immortal Dynasty is ultimately unsafe, so he wants to use his own spiritual treasures to cultivate relationships with relatives and friends while he's still alive, in order to prepare for the future?!"

Looking at it now, it seems that even the venerable Master Ye Shui, who made a successful bet, has not yet transcended the past and is still plagued by worries and unable to relax.

"Wait, Elder Ye Shui summoned me here?! Is this another..." Kang Dabao's expression turned solemn, but Fei Wanqing didn't keep him waiting long before stepping forward and saying, "Brother-in- Wanqing, please come with me to the hall to listen to the teachings of the elders."

"Wait!" Fei Shuhe hurriedly called out, not knowing that after her husband left this time, she would probably have to fight for her life again.

Sect Leader Kang Da, however, knew that he and his wife could not defy the will of the Golden Core cultivator at this time, so he reassured them with what he had overheard. "Ancestor Ye Shui said before that he was going to bestow upon me a great opportunity. It's alright, don't worry."

The beautiful woman's eyes reddened, but there was nothing she could do. She could only watch as her husband's large hands left her delicate shoulders and slender waist, and he turned away to leave with his cousin.

The Fei Household's main council hall bears the two characters "Yonghe," written in a vigorous and powerful style, bestowed upon it by the current emperor upon the previous patriarch. Now, all the Golden Core cultivators and the family's esteemed members reside here, indicating that something significant is about to happen.

As someone from a different family, Kang Dabao should have felt out of place here, but the Fei Household members didn't seem to care much about him.

Fei Tianqin, who had just returned from the two royal residences in Great Abyss Capital, sat at the head of the table next to Ancestor Ye Shui. His eyes were displeased, and his tone was indifferent. "I showed them all the scars on my body, and they only managed to stop two families from coming. It seems that my Five-Spirit Ice Mallow is indeed an extraordinary spiritual object!"

The latter naturally sensed the displeasure in the former's words, but remained calm and showed no anger.

Fei Ye Shui knew, of course, that while the Five-Spirit Ice Mallow was rare, it wasn't something that would cause such a grand display from various families.

They didn't come for the Five-Spirit Ice Mallow at all; they came to make an example of the Fei family, because they felt that the Fei Household should no longer occupy so many positions in the capital region, the Temple of Great Wei, and beside the imperial heir.

The area surrounding the capital is almost entirely free of wasteland, fertile and rich.

Often, a single county can support two or three families of False Core; if others eat one more bite, their own family will eat one less bite.

If Fei Ye Shui, an old man with extremely close ties to the Great Wei clan, were not to oversee the Fei Household in the future, how could they possibly maintain their exclusive control over the twenty-five counties of Ying Prefecture?

The wolves outside are fighting over the Core Formation artifacts today, wanting to buy the Fei Household's spiritual soil tomorrow, and perhaps even planning to invade the Ying Prefecture clan's territory the day after.

There's nothing new happening in the world. These things Fei Ye Shui could foresee were all things he had done to other families before. What's the point of discussing right or wrong?

However, if the Fei Household can withstand these initial blows, then while the subsequent attacks may not be entirely absent, they will at least be delayed.

Fei Ye Shui felt relieved, putting aside his many worries, and then spoke gently, "Brother Lao, please tell the others about our guests so we can be prepared."

"Baili Xi, the eldest son of the Luochuan Baili Household; Gong Butong, the Gong Butong Wen Mountain Cult; Su Changqiu young master of the Su Yuelu Su Household."

Fei Tianqin's words did not surprise the cultivators in the hall, because without exception, all those he mentioned were from nearby Nascent Soul sects. The disciples they sent were all their elite disciples, especially Baili Xi, the eldest son of the Baili Household, who achieved the Golden Leaf Dao Foundation half a century ago, causing a sensation in the capital region.

There are rumors circulating that the current emperor intends to marry him as a son-in-law, but the Baili Household True Person politely declined on his behalf. The truth of this matter is unknown.

However, these people were quite well-known, and even many of the high-ranking cultivators in the hall who were indifferent to worldly affairs and Yixin on cultivation knew their names.

But I wonder if the two families that Fei Tianqin blocked after making a scene at the North and South Princes' mansions also had True Person in charge? If so, then this old bird's influence is truly extraordinary.

"The date for this Ice Mallow Grand Gathering will be set for after January. This time, there will be no grand competition; the list of participants for this gathering will be decided by my brother and me, and it will consist of three people."

At this point, the old cultivator raised an eyebrow, and all the other cultivators in the hall straightened their expressions, listening attentively to his words:

"Esteemed Jade Hall Fei Nanyi, She Mountain Hall Fei Wanqing, Qiu River Hall Fei Nanxin."

Kang Dabao was somewhat surprised to see Fei Wanqing and Fei Nanyi, who had a single horn on their heads, walking out, and a slender, True Cultivator -faced cultivator slowly walking out from beside Fei Nanxi of the Qiu River Hall.

He originally thought that Fei Wanqing's good aptitude and smooth cultivation were already quite remarkable, but he did not expect that among the talented Fei Household True Cultivator, she could rank among the top three.

However, all the cultivators in the hall already knew what was going on, and none of them showed any unusual reaction.

After Ye Shui, the patriarch, had pointed out the three, he then said, "Since this is a grand gathering of our family, we should also invite some relatives and friends to come. I would like to invite the following three: Han Chengfeng, a direct descendant of the Yukun Han Household; Shu Yuanjiang the Zuojiang Shu Household; and Kang Dabao, the head of the Chongming Sect."

The first two were probably going to arrive later, so Kang Dabao was prepared. He straightened his clothes and composed himself, then unpretentiously squeezed out of the crowd from a corner.

The cultivators inside the hall remained silent, and not a single one dared to utter a word like Fei Enxing had back then. It should be understood that even Golden Core might not dare to object to the decisions made by the two patriarchs of the Ying Prefecture Fei Household. Heaven knows where this young man got his audacity back then?

Of course, while they dared not comment, those Golden Core who were oblivious to the world around them could see that Kang Dabao had a profound foundation that was beyond the reach of ordinary people, but they could not see that this son-in-law from out of town of humble origin had any special extraordinary qualities that could make the two patriarchs so fond of him.

One of them, with long, arched eyebrows, looked quite suspicious, but Fei Nanxi whispered an explanation, "This boy has severed False Core."

"To fight in a fair and square manner?"

"Fight with dignity."

"I see." The nearby cultivators suddenly realized that, in that case, even among the three members of the Fei Household, only Fei Nanyi could rival this young man, so he should definitely be given a place.

A month or so passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Sect Leader Kang Da did not waste any time. Taking advantage of being Fei Ye Shui, he shamelessly visited various halls to seek out cultivation techniques.

If one were to find Golden Core cultivator, who would refuse to preach the Dharma?

There are probably very few disciples of the Fei Household who are willing to seek guidance from several high-ranking cultivators. Kang Dabao indeed made great progress in these few dozen days, and has even figured out some of the true meaning of the matter of Core Formation.

However, this is not as simple as entering the Dao overnight in a storybook. Everything must be done step by step. These gains will be reflected in the future cultivation of Sect Leader Kang Da, but it is rare to see immediate results now.

During this period, Han Chengfeng, a direct descendant of the Yukun Han Household, and Shu Yuanjiang Fei Household Zuojiang Shu Household, also arrived one after another.

The former is the direct descendant of the Han Household's True Person. He has only cultivated for fifty years, yet he has already reached the threshold of Golden Core Formation Pill. What's even more remarkable is that the profound and wondrous techniques he possesses are probably as numerous as cartloads and bushels, which are beyond the reach of ordinary families.

The latter was the son of Shu Zhengde, a member of the Imperial Guard and Imperial Guard, and like the former, he was a Daoist of the Ice Leaf Dao Foundation. However, the Shu Household did not have any True Person, and like the Fei Household, they were only considered first-rate wealthy families, thus inferior to the Yukun Han Household.

Even if this Shu Yuanjiang had served as a dew-collecting boy under Zuo Zongzheng Kuang Furen for six years and received much instruction, he would still be slightly inferior to Han Chengfeng.

However, this young man was not well-known in previous years. It seems that he only had some opportunities in recent years and did several impressive things to turn his life around. That's why he has once again received special training from the Zuojiang Shu Household. I wonder if he will bring some surprises to the Fei Household.

The reason why Sect Leader Kang Da paid some attention to Shu Yuanjiang was because he had heard Fei Shuhe say that Shu Yuanjiang had almost been engaged to her back then.

However, the plot that is common in storybooks did not appear. Shu Yuanjiang, who missed his chance to marry Fei Shuhe, still married Fei Household's eldest daughter. When he met with Sect Leader Kang Da, he was also polite and showed no jealousy. The two got along well.

The day of the Ice Mallow Grand Gathering arrived in the blink of an eye, but only two of the three unpleasant guests that Fei Tianqin had mentioned showed up.

Wen Mountain Cult, Gong Butong, and Su Changqiu, the young master of the Yuelu Su Household, each came with protectors. Both were at the Golden Core Peak stage and came from prominent families. However, they were extremely polite to Fei Tianqin and Fei Ye Shui, a man and a bird, and implicitly regarded themselves as juniors.

The Fei Household had no idea why Baili Xi, the eldest son of the Luochuan Baili Household, was not coming, so they did not send a letter to inquire. As the time for the grand event to begin approached, even Fei Tianqin felt a sense of satisfaction. However, the cultivators saw a red cloud slowly approaching from afar.

Kang Dabao's face darkened as he saw a familiar face descend through layers of white clouds alongside an old monk. The monk, hands clasped together, said humbly, "I humbly request your well wishes. I am Funeng, the 126th abbot of Original Response Temple, and I pay my respects to all the senior monks."

No one answered him, Funeng remained fearless, unperturbed, and unangry. He simply raised his head, clasped his hands in prayer, and bowed again, saying, "May you, senior, attain Buddhahood!"

His smile was sincere, like that of a jade Buddha.

His phoenix eyes seemed to be filled with joy, and only when he looked at Kang Dabao did the latter seem to see the trace of resentment hidden within them.

The Ancient Demon Ring on Sect Leader Kang Da's hand flashed slightly. He lowered his head to avoid the lingering, intoxicating fragrance, his face expressionless, devoid of joy or sorrow, resentment or regret. "It was bound to happen."