Situ Chen's features were striking, with a high-bridged nose that bore a resemblance to Situ Mo. Black and red fire enveloped him, swirling with ominous qi.
His flames were unusual, taking on the shapes of various birds, their sheer power enough to shatter the bolts of lightning hurled at him. His dual blades moved with ferocity, slicing through the air with the force of a tiger's charge.
The surrounding cultivators hesitated at the sight. Neither Miao Ye nor Situ Chen was someone to trifle with. A confrontation between the two could only mean trouble, leaving little for others to gain. Gradually, the others dispersed, leaving the two locked in a standoff mid-air.
Situ Chen grew even more resolute. The Hidden Cloud Orb was critical to forging his artifact. He said coldly, "I have no desire to waste time with you here. Why not name a price? Let us negotiate—"
"Bah!" Miao Ye sneered, spitting as he interrupted, "Mother fucker! Do you think I have forgotten how that Flameshadow Crow you wield came to be? It was Situ Tang who stole my family's fortune on Mount Douxuan and seized the technique! Now you dare feign civility and speak of negotiation? I spit on you!"
Situ Chen's smile darkened as his expression grew cold. He retorted, "How dare you utter the Daoist Master's name directly! If your family lost its fortune, you have only yourselves to blame. Your accusations are baseless."
Miao Ye barked out a bitter laugh and said mockingly, "The old bastard is dead! I will curse him in front of your face—what can you do about it?"
The two exchanged sharp words before erupting into battle. Li Xuanfeng, clad in his black-gold spirit armor, dimmed its radiance and concealed himself within the clouds, silently observing the scene.
"So, it is you... The Flameshadow Crow ... It really is the Flameshadow Crow ." Memories from Li Xuanfeng's youth in Lijing Town resurfaced. A severe drought had struck Lichuankou Village, emptying nearly every household. The Xu Family had been devoured, leaving only old Xu alive, while Chen Erniu had fled to become a tenant farmer under the Li Family.
Old Xu had died in front of Li Xuanfeng all those years ago, revealing a dark secret: Golden Tang Gate had orchestrated a demonic ritual to prepare Flameshadow Crow Qi for the young master's cultivation, using monsters to kill humans and harvest fire energy.
" Flameshadow Crow Qi ," Li Xuanfeng murmured.
These events had taken place far in the past. Harvesting spiritual qi from heaven and earth often required years or even decades. Golden Tang Gate must have collected fire qi from multiple locations, their activities unnoticed amid the passage of time.
Mortals, with their short lifespans, had little time to dwell on grief. Yet old Xu, clutching six-year-old Li Xuanfeng's trousers in his dying moments, had left a memory that stayed with him for over seventy years.
Li Xuanfeng adjusted his longbow, and a quiver of arrows trembled. One leaped from the quiver to rest on the bowstring. Streams of golden light rapidly gathered and coalesced into the arrowhead.
Standing silently, bow drawn, Li Xuanfeng held his position without firing. Instead, he slowly retreated into the clouds, keeping his presence hidden as he carefully memorized Situ Chen's features.
In this grotto heaven, they won't fight to the death. It's a petty skirmish over scraps, a case of losing the greater prize for smaller gains. This man, as the young master of Golden Tang Gate, is no easy target. If I act, it must be decisive—he cannot be allowed to escape or prepare defenses.
Below him, the black-red flames around Situ Chen surged higher with every swing of his twin blades. His strikes hurled arcs of fire at Miao Ye, who stood firm with lightning crackling between his bronze bowls.
The two exchanged spells and techniques, testing each other through dozens of moves. Gradually, the battle intensified, sending shockwaves of flame and lightning scattering across the sky.
As the clash dragged on, both began to show hesitation. In the grotto heaven, prolonging their fight risked leaving them vulnerable to opportunists. Reluctantly, they reached a tacit understanding and stopped.
Situ Chen sheathed his blades and snorted coldly before flying off toward a distant mountain range. Miao Ye spat in his direction before turning and heading the opposite way.
Once the two separated, Li Xuanfeng concealed his spirit armor and silently followed after Situ Chen, heading north through the clouds.
As he moved through the mist, streaks of light grew increasingly common around him. Bright trails cut through the gray haze unabashedly, while dimmer and more subtle glimmers revealed the presence of at least a dozen other cultivators.
The distribution within this cloud sea is unclear, but by rough estimation, there must be forty or fifty people here. Of them, at least ten carry threads of fate. If a fight breaks out, it will be quite the spectacle. After glancing around briefly, Li Xuanfeng pressed on.
Before long, the mountain range began to emerge. Its deep brown base rose sharply from the clouds, towering toward the heavens. The slopes were covered in various types of spirit pines, their luminous needles reflecting a faint glow.
A cyan wind whistled through the forest, scattering and drawing the clouds in rhythmic waves, creating the illusion of an island floating within a sea.
Amid the vast pine forest, emerald-green stone steps wound upward like the body of a great azure serpent dragon. The steps extended from the mountain's foot to its summit, flanked by pavilions and terraces exuding an ethereal, celestial aura.
As Li Xuanfeng approached the mountain, the wind surrounding him abruptly dispersed, forcing him to falter mid-air. Stumbling slightly, he landed at the mountain's foot.
Taking a moment to identify the phenomenon, he realized the wind was Heavy Abyssal Gale , a rare spiritual force capable of scattering flight techniques, disrupting spirit boats, stirring sandstorms, and interfering with magical artifacts. It was a highly coveted spirit material, even among Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
Such a wind was exceptionally scarce in the present world, found only in trace amounts on the Great Western Plains. Even a wisp of it could be used to forge artifacts capable of disarming opponents. Released into the wild, it would cause rogue cultivators to fight fiercely over it.
Yet here, the gale seemed endless, circling the mountain endlessly. None of the cultivators knocked from the skies paused to gather it; instead, they hurried toward the summit.
Li Xuanfeng descended to the ground and noticed a black-robed man landing ahead of him. The man had coarse, shallow eyebrows and gaunt cheeks. Cupping his fist, he said, "I saw Daoist Xuanfeng from the skies earlier. The mountain is dangerous—why not travel together?"
The man was Lin Chensheng of the Great Xiukui Temple, who had warned him earlier. Li Xuanfeng had a good impression of him and raised an eyebrow before nodding lightly, "Very well."
The two began moving, stepping onto the stone pathway and advancing quickly while activating their footwork techniques. Ignoring the spirit pines lining the path, they headed toward the nearest pavilion.
The pavilion was no larger than a small courtyard of a commoner's home. Two stone lions stood at its entrance. As Li Xuanfeng looked closer, he realized someone had already arrived.
A female cultivator in a red robe stood at the courtyard gate, intently examining the pavilion. She held a small halberd in her arms, no longer than her forearm. The weapon, colored in shades of red and yellow, had three prongs at the tip that curved together like petals. It resembled a ceremonial artifact more than a weapon.
As soon as Li Xuanfeng and Lin Chensheng stopped, the woman turned to glance at them warily. In a soft voice, she said, "Daoists, I arrived here first. Please look elsewhere."
Her gaze swept over Li Xuanfeng and froze when it landed on Lin Chensheng. Her eyes curved into a delighted expression as she exclaimed, "Brother Chensheng!"
Lin Chensheng was also somewhat surprised and responded, "So it is Daoist Yuzhuang..."
He gave a sincere smile and introduced her to Li Xuanfeng, "This is Daoist Bi Yuzhuang of the Hengzhu Dao Gate , a close friend of mine since childhood."