True Monarch Lingjun of Heavenly Gang Peak has been intensely studying Array Dao for the past two years, inspired by Shi Xiaowu, and the two have become close despite their age difference, often discussing the connection between arrays and numerology.

Comforted by Jiang Yuebai, Shi Xiaowu’s optimistic nature quickly allows him to leave failure behind.

"I’ve made considerable progress studying Array Dao these past two days, but the arena battles didn’t showcase the essence of Array Dao. Qii Yue is on the arena there; I’ll go see her first, Senior Sister."

Shi Xiaowu’s face flushed slightly as he squeezed through the crowd to find Qii Yue. Jiang Yuebai watched from afar as Qii Yue was confidently commanding three puppets, winning several matches already.

Shi Xiaowu cheered enthusiastically, while Qii Ming, Qii Yue’s brother, looked at Shi Xiaowu with some inexplicable dissatisfaction.

The undercurrents among the three made Jiang Yuebai smile; they were all mortal, bound by emotions, and regardless of the outcome, experience would always transform into a driving force for growth.

The nine-day Heavenly Interence Sect tournament quickly concluded, with Shi Xiaowu ultimately not placing, while Jiangg Ziying secured the twenty-third place with his Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, which was quite commendable. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Qii Yue, on the other hand, was unexpectedly impressive, revealing a hidden skill with masterful puppet control techniques to make a comeback, defeating an Inner Courtyard Martial Monk from Vajra Platform and claiming the top spot in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

During the award ceremony, when Qii Yue was choosing a mentor, she first considered Lii Jiuchuan, Still wanting to remain at Heavenly Cry Peak.

But encouraged by Jiang Yuebai’s gaze, Qii Yue boldly chose True Monarch Baiyan, the most suitable master, who had always taught her Puppetry Path at Ten Thousand Laws Hall, a reclusive old cultivator focused on puppet mechanisms.

After the tournament, Jiang Yuebai received an invitation from Xie Jingshan, vague and mysterious, inviting her to meet at Danfeng Valley under Qingyun Ridge at night. At the time, Yun Shang and Ge Yuchan, who were with Jiang Yuebai, also received the same invitation.

After sunset, the three of them set off together for Danfeng Valley.

It was the season of fiery red maple forests; from afar, they saw a massive bonfire burning in the clearing at the center of the valley, with Lu Nanzhi and Shen Huaxi, whom they hadn’t seen for ten years, standing by the bonfire, smiling at them.

Xie Jingshan, along with Song Zhi’ang, Hee Wangchen, and the Guiyuan Sword Sect’s Zhuo Qingfeng, Zhao Kunling, Xu Qiancheng carried wine jars, while Hua Yingshi and Xu Qianjin were laying down blankets.

Nearby were Yuu Qiuqi, Fang Yuxing, Li Shen Zhi, Muh Wushuang, and Tang Weimian, senior brothers and sisters who had good relations with everyone.

Those meant to be there, those who could be there, all gathered here, a rare reunion.

"Jiang Yuebai, come over and help already, why are you just standing there?"

Xie Jingshan called out loudly, and Jiang Yuebai looked at Yun Shang and Ge Yuchan, going over together.

Everyone sat around the fire, drinking merrily and chatting about everything under the sun.

"... Jiang Yuebai, didn’t you ask me to keep an eye on that Kong Family’s newborn girl blessed with purple aura?"

Xie Jingshan took a sip of wine and said, "Before returning to the sect, something happened that slapped the Kong Family hard in the face. You may not know, when the newborn girl made her entrance, she was the talk of the town, yet for ten years, she disappeared without a trace."

"Instead, the Kong Family’s direct descendant, a young boy born simultaneously, reportedly could create poems imbued with Wenqu Saint’s golden light by the age of three, according to them. Of course, outsiders have never seen it, so who knows if it’s true. For years, the Kong Family claimed they were going to produce a Wenqu Saint. But recently, the Kong Family invited the top ten cultivation families to a poetry gathering, and the young boy was exposed on the spot for years of plagiarizing his cousin’s works."

"His cousin was the newborn girl back then, disguised as a man infiltrating the gathering. Her poetry stunned the world, under the broad daylight, Wenqu star shone, Saint’s golden light shooting up to the sky, scaring many people. Now, her reputation is known throughout the Earth Spiritual Realm, and the Kong Family can no longer suppress her."

Everyone listened eagerly to Xie Jingshan’s story, and Jiang Yuebai thought of Shen Jinghao.

If it really is Mr. Shen, the Kong Family might be in for an upheaval.

Initially, everyone chatted together but eventually broke off into smaller groups.

Li Shen Zhi, swaying slightly with a jar of wine in hand, said, "Your senior brother single-handedly vanquished ten thousand ghosts in the Asura Domain, while it may not compare to my master’s past, it was still quite formidable."

"Huh? Senior Brother, are you calling me?" Muh Wushuang turned her head, bewildered, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed from drinking.

Whoosh~

Tang Weimian and the others nearby laughed heartily, while Hee Wangchen whispered jokingly, "Didn’t see ten thousand ghosts, a hundred ghosts frightened the Senior Brother until he set up ten layers of arrays before daring to make a sound..."