Supreme Elder

Tianyan Sect, Peak of the Loving Family.

Chu Xingchen made his leisurely way from the foot of the mountain to its summit.

He usually flew everywhere, so it was rare for him to walk up the mountain in such a calm and unhurried manner.

As he climbed, Chu Xingchen realized that he truly did not know this place—which he had lived in for quite some time—as well as he had thought.

Along the way, however, he discovered patch after patch of scattered spirit fields. Thinking about it carefully, they were probably tended by San Dong.

Chu Xingchen took a closer look. Most of the plants were herbs used to stop bleeding and aid recovery. Little Sandong had probably been afraid that he might get injured and had deliberately planted them for him.

It was unexpectedly touching.

He continued upward.

When Chu Xingchen raised his head, he saw the plaque above the gate, bearing the words personally written by Lu Xuanqing:

Peak of the Loving Family.

With a soft laugh, Chu Xingchen walked closer.

He made his way calmly into the inner courtyard. The noisy sound of conversation reached him one voice after another—everyone seemed to be talking at once.

When Chu Xingchen arrived at the entrance, he looked inside. Almost no one was missing.

Judging from their expressions, they seemed to be arguing about something.

Xie Lingyu was sitting in a chair. As if they shared a telepathic connection, she was the first to raise her eyes toward Chu Xingchen.

Chu Xingchen responded with a bright smile.

Xie Lingyu said nothing. She merely lifted her chin slightly and blinked at him.

One person after another noticed the change in their mistress’s expression, and their gazes followed hers.

“Master!” Li Yingling cried out in surprise.

Hearing her call, Chu Xingchen opened his arms and walked inside.

Chen Baiqing was the first to pounce on him. Li Yingling grabbed Chu Xingchen by the sleeve and began looking him up and down, while Cui Hao, finding no room in front, simply climbed onto Chu Xingchen’s back.

San Dong stared at the scene in astonishment. Then, gritting her teeth, she flew straight to Chu Xingchen’s shoulder and grabbed hold of her sect master’s hair.

Xie Lingyu also rose and walked over. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out and took Chu Xingchen’s right hand.

Li Xingtian’s hurried approach came to a brief halt when he saw this. He looked left and right, apparently realizing that there was no place left for him either.

A relaxed smile rested on Lin Luoyu’s lips as she stood beside Li Xingtian and watched Chu Xingchen.

Yuan Kong stroked his chin, his eyes searching over Chu Xingchen as though trying to find somewhere he could hug him as well. Qian Qing, however, had already grabbed Yuan Kong by the shoulder, as if he had anticipated exactly what Yuan Kong was planning.

The voices around Chu Xingchen blended into a constant stream of excited chatter. He could understand who was saying what, but with everyone talking over one another, there was no way to make sense of it all.

He shook himself. “I’m not hurt, I’m not hurt! I’m alive and kicking! Get down here and talk properly. And Cui Hao, don’t squeeze me so hard. If my cultivation were any lower, you’d have strangled me to death.”

After another round of commotion, everyone finally climbed down from Chu Xingchen.

Chu Xingchen sighed in relief, straightened his clothes, and began giving orders.

“Baiqing, make some tea. Yingling, keep an eye on Cui Hao. Everyone else, sit properly. Anyone without a seat can stand in order of seniority. And Qian Qing, you can use Yuan Kong as a chair.”

“Wait… There’s something wrong with that arrangement,” Yuan Kong said, his eyes widening.

Chu Xingchen ignored him and sat down beside Xie Lingyu. Meeting Lingyu’s questioning gaze, he gave her a slight nod before looking toward everyone present.

“The Heavenly Demons have finally been wiped out. Unfortunately, several of them used their final techniques to perish together with quite a few Transcending Tribulation cultivators from the other immortal sects.”

“The hidden demon clans of old have also been swept away. There are still many forces once nurtured by the Heavenly Demons that have yet to be completely eradicated, but they are no longer a serious threat.”

“As for the rainbow lotus in the heavens, I think you all know the situation by now. It shouldn’t be a major problem. As long as we completely recover the authorities of the Heavenly Dao, everything should be fine.”

“From here on, the Eighteen Immortal Sects will work together to search for the scattered authorities of the Heavenly Dao, and all information will be shared openly.”

“It will be somewhat troublesome, but the true crisis has more or less passed.”

“There probably won’t be any more earth-shaking battles.”

Li Yingling looked somewhat shocked. She had not expected the great calamity to truly be coming to an end so easily.

Chen Baiqing wore a doubtful expression. She studied her master’s face, then covertly glanced toward Li Xingtian. Yet her second senior brother seemed to show no reaction at all.

The courtyard fell somewhat silent. It seemed that no one believed what they had just heard.

Seeing this, Chu Xingchen gave a soft laugh.

“So, we’re going back.”

At those words, everyone’s spirits instantly lifted. Every one of them understood what he meant.

Chu Xingchen looked toward San Dong, then at the others.

“Let’s choose an auspicious day and return to Wanhua Ridge—to the sect we built brick by brick, to our own home.”

The moment he finished speaking, cheers erupted.

No matter how wonderful the Peak of the Loving Family was, it was still not their own territory.

Although Wanhua Ridge was not as rich in spiritual energy as the Eighteen Immortal Sects, it belonged to them. Every inch of it contained the devotion and effort they had poured into it. It was their sect, their home.

Chen Baiqing could hardly hide her happiness either, because she too loved the sect her master had established at Wanhua Ridge.

Everyone’s distinct joys remained intact. She had once devoted countless hours to imagining every corner of Wanhua Ridge.

Yet beneath her happiness, there was still a trace of worry.

Had Master concealed something from her?

Chu Xingchen smiled as well. He turned to Xie Lingyu and asked, “Will you come back with us?”

“Together,” Xie Lingyu replied with a nod.

Chu Xingchen smiled in satisfaction, then looked toward the others.

Jewel Peak.

Bai Xuanling’s eyes were half-lidded as she reached out and toyed with Qinghe’s dragon horns.

Qinghe looked somewhat uncomfortable, but remained obediently seated, allowing Bai Xuanling to play with them.

Lv Xuan sat opposite Bai Xuanling. He had worn a solemn expression for a long while, yet still had not said a word.

Bai Xuanling released Qinghe, then casually sent her flying out of the courtyard with one palm strike. Afterward, she casually set up a soundproof formation and transmitted her voice.

“You insisted on coming to Jewel Peak. Don’t tell me you came all this way just to let me look at that bitter melon of a face?”

Lv Xuan shook his head. He then frowned and replied through voice transmission.

“Before the Crystals of Principle formed from the authorities are activated, they possess no Dao resonance. Over the years, it’s not as though the Eighteen Immortal Sects haven’t searched for them. The Profound Clarity Heavenly Sect has even made it their mission. Yet after all these years, they still haven’t found many.”

“Even if all the sects now cast aside their former grudges and work together, how could three years possibly be enough?”

“Finding even one in three years would be a blessing from heaven—and it would have to be a Crystal of Principle capable of repairing the authority sustaining the barrier. The odds of that…”

“What if nothing goes smoothly…”

Lv Xuan sighed softly as he reached this point.

Bai Xuanling lowered her eyes and transmitted her reply.

“I’ve already agreed to go to Wanhua Ridge and serve as Chu Xingchen’s Supreme Grand Elder.”

“If everything goes wrong three years from now, then I’ll stay at Wanhua Ridge from that point onward. I won’t return to Jewel Peak.”

Lv Xuan was rendered speechless by her words. He looked at Bai Xuanling, then sighed once more, unable to say anything.

Even though Bai Xuanling was now Tianyan Sect’s absolute pillar of strength—and a True Immortal at that—there was no way Tianyan Sect could let her go.

Yet after hearing those words, Lv Xuan could do nothing but silently accept them.