"Ah, Young Hero Fang... but might you have some proof of identity?"

Fang Shuwen was at a loss for words. ’Why do I have to prove I’m me just to visit Yuqing Pavilion?’

Just as he was wondering how to prove his identity, he heard another person speak up.

"I’ve heard that Young Hero Fang holds a Jade Pearl Order from Zhuji Pavilion... Would you be willing to show it to us?"

Fang Shuwen didn’t hesitate, pulling the token right out of his small pouch.

After the two men glanced at it, their doubts were dispelled. One of them immediately said:

"Young Hero Fang, please follow me."

"Don’t you need to announce my arrival?"

Fang Shuwen was a little surprised.

The Yuqing Pavilion disciple smiled.

"After Master Lan Yue returned to the sect, she spoke of your righteous deeds at Qiuyue Nunnery, Young Hero Fang."

"Now, everyone here knows that you killed the great Demon, Cao Jiuyin, and saved many masters from our sects."

"Master Lan Yue said that if you were to come, Young Hero Fang, there would be no need for an announcement. You could be brought directly into the main hall."

’So that’s how it is...’

Fang Shuwen glanced at Chen Yan. ’This kid is really well-connected.’

’He must have known how Yuqing Pavilion would treat me, which is why he had me introduce myself.’

As they continued up the mountain, Fang Shuwen noticed that all the Yuqing Pavilion disciples they passed were on high alert, as if bracing for a great enemy. He couldn’t help but find it strange.

He inquired with the disciple and learned that Yuqing Pavilion had visitors today.

It seemed these visitors had come with ill intent, so everyone at Yuqing Pavilion was on edge.

Fang Shuwen was surprised.

"Yuqing Pavilion is one of the Seven Great Sects of the Eastern Domain. Who would dare to cause trouble here?"

The disciple gave a helpless smile.

"They don’t seem to be from the Eastern Domain. They’re masters from beyond our region."

"They’ve likely come for the Yuqing Banquet."

Fang Shuwen felt like despite having talked with Chen Yan for so long, he was still completely out of the loop. He shot Chen Yan a glance.

Chen Yan spoke in a listless tone.

"At Yuqing Pavilion, there is a place called the Cold Ice Pond. Within it grows a rare plant known as Cold Ice Grass." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Cold Ice Grass is a thing of extreme cold and is incredibly poisonous. Anyone who consumes it directly will be turned into an ice sculpture in an instant. The cold poison is absolutely dreadful."

"However, once every sixty years, the Cold Ice Grass bears three fruits called Yuqing Fruits."

"While the Cold Ice Pond and Cold Ice Grass are both things of extreme cold, the Yuqing Fruit contains yang energy within its cold nature, creating a perfect balance of yin and yang. It is truly one of the Treasures of Heaven and Earth."

"If a martial artist consumes a Yuqing Fruit and uses their Inner Strength to assimilate it, they can gain twenty years’ worth of cultivation in a single night."

"However, only the first fruit is fully effective. The effects of the second are halved, and the third... is completely useless."

"This is hardly a secret among the Seven Sects, which is why Yuqing Pavilion holds the Yuqing Banquet every sixty years."

"Those who wish to obtain a Yuqing Fruit can participate in the Yuqing Banquet, compete in a martial tournament against their peers, and the top two finishers are each awarded one fruit."

In truth, Chen Yan’s explanation wasn’t the full story.

While the Yuqing Fruit was a great treasure, it was only effective for the young. For those over forty, consuming it was not only ineffective but actually harmful.

Thus, the fruits were always used to cultivate the next generation of disciples.

And so, the Yuqing Banquet was born.

Seeing Chen Yan rattle off the details as if they were common knowledge, the Yuqing Pavilion disciple couldn’t help but look surprised.

"And you are, sir?"

"Chen Yan, of the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion."

Chen Yan replied with his usual deadpan expression, offering a brief cupped-fist salute.

The Yuqing Pavilion disciple’s expression cleared in understanding.

"Ah, so you’re from the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion. No wonder you’re so well-informed."

Fang Shuwen, however, frowned slightly.

"If knowledge of this fruit is limited to the Seven Sects, how would people from outside the region know about it?"

"That, I do not know..."

The Yuqing Pavilion disciple said with a sigh of resignation.

"Our Sect Leader is still in seclusion. That group sent a formal request to visit months ago. Master Zhai Xing even invited a friend of the Sect Leader to lend support. Right now, they’re all in the main hall wrangling over it, and we don’t know what the final decision will be."

Fang Shuwen was puzzled. ’Why are the Seven Sect Leaders all so fond of going into seclusion?’

’First Lou Yuxiao of Zhuji Pavilion was in seclusion, and now the leader of Yuqing Pavilion is too.’

’Do these sect leaders have nothing better to do?’

He asked out of curiosity.

"Don’t the Seven Great Sects of the Eastern Domain always stand together, like branches of the same tree?"

"Why look for help so far afield?"

"They’ve been perfectly courteous; we can’t find any fault in their conduct. If we were to send word to the other sects and cause a huge commotion, wouldn’t we become a laughingstock?"

"So, if we can handle this ourselves, it’s best that we do."

Hearing this, Fang Shuwen understood.

’They definitely can’t just hand over the Yuqing Fruit, but they have to handle the situation elegantly, leaving no room for criticism.’

’Otherwise, if the visitors are acting in good faith while their side is calling for blood, the entire Eastern Domain Martial World would lose face if word got out.’

’As the owners of the Yuqing Fruit, Yuqing Pavilion’s own stance on the matter wasn’t necessarily that hardline.’

’This was because with each harvest, they kept one of the Yuqing Fruits for themselves and only offered the other two as prizes for the Yuqing Banquet.’

’But for the other parties who coveted the Yuqing Fruit, losing even one of those two was a tremendous blow.’

’That’s why those other parties would be even more agitated than Yuqing Pavilion... The slightest misstep could lead to an irreversible conflict.’

’To avoid that, they had sought help from afar, inviting a friend of their Sect Leader to lend support.’

While they were speaking, the group arrived at the main hall.

Before they could even enter, the sound of clashing weapons echoed from within.

The Yuqing Pavilion disciple’s expression immediately darkened.

"How dare they start a fight?"

She immediately quickened her pace, with Fang Shuwen and the others close behind.

They soon reached the entrance. Looking past the threshold, they saw the main hall was packed with people.

Nearly all of Yuqing Pavilion’s Elders and top masters were present.

In addition, the seats flanking the hall were also completely filled.

To Fang Shuwen’s surprise, Zuo Qingshuang and Zhou Qingmei, whom he had assumed were already back at Zhuji Pavilion, were also in the hall.

His gaze followed the row of seats on the left up to the seat of honor, where a woman was seated.

She was dressed in black, her features stunningly beautiful, her deep-set eyes as sharp as a blade.

Fang Shuwen froze the moment he saw her, while a cold sweat was already beading on Chen Yan’s forehead...

This was none other than the woman they had a chance encounter with on the road—’Immortal Light Transformation,’ Miao Feichan!