Chapter 1485: Snow Fills the City with Fragrant Apricots and Osmanthus; Flowers from the Northern Sky Welcome the Master

"Clang."

The star disk clattered to the ground.

Outside the south city gate, at the end of the official road, Yu Zhiwen stared blankly at the ethereal figure in the distant sky.

With her Zhuji Star Pupils, she could easily see through the Xuanji Great Array into the world of Yujing City, where dust and smoke filled the air, and buildings and walls lay in ruins...

A scene of utter desolation!

The Gui Shou Tan Shen struggled beneath the forbidden chains.

Ban Sheng Ye Xiaotian spat curses, his words too foul to repeat.

Lao Hong Yi Fang Wenxin wore a fierce expression, glaring angrily at Dao Xuanji.

Yu Grandpa and Zhong Yuanzi exchanged glances, their faces a mix of regret and helplessness.

"Xuanji Great Array..."

Having followed Gui Ling all the way from Qingyuan Mountain, Yu Zhiwen hadn't missed the final moments.

She stood there, watching the latter half of the events unfold, witnessing the moment when the master of Xuanji Hall stepped in at the critical juncture to save the day.

She took in the cheers of relief from Yujing City after its rescue, and she heard every insult hurled at her master by those in power.

She also saw Cao Erzhu being abducted by Si Ren Mister, and in their last glance at each other, the look of disgust he threw her way.

His expression seemed to say...

Not a single Tianji sorcerer is any good.

"You're here!"

Gui Ling materialized, and Xi appeared suddenly—Yu Zhiwen had been summoned by him, on a mission assigned by the master of Xuanji Hall.

The moment he appeared, Xi noticed the unusual dimness in the stunning Zhuji Star Pupils of the dazed woman before him, a grayness that hadn't been there before.

Behind her, the snow and osmanthus had lost their vibrancy, leaving only shades of gray, black, and white.

"It shouldn't be what you think!"

Xi was reluctant to speak up for the master of Xuanji Hall.

But he couldn't bear to see Yu Zhiwen potentially lose faith in her master due to a misunderstanding, so he quickly explained,

"The Dao Bu is depleted; the master of Dao Hall has defected to Sheng Mountain!"

"The Tianji Great Array had many vulnerabilities, and the master of Xuanji Hall needed to repair the Sheng Mountain array first, then fix the Tianji Great Array..."

"She arrived just in time." Yu Zhiwen murmured absentmindedly, gazing at the celebrations inside the city, her voice barely audible.

"Uh..."

Xi was at a loss for words.

He knew exactly what Yu Zhiwen meant.

The master of Xuanji Hall had indeed arrived at just the "right" time!

If she had been even a moment faster, not a single person in the city would have died, not a building damaged, and the Gui Shou Tan Shen would have been captured.

If she had been even a moment slower, she wouldn't have been the savior; she would have only arrived to mourn the thousands upon thousands of lives lost in Yujing City.

"Maybe... it was just a coincidence..." Xi forced out words he never wanted to believe.

But as an insider, he knew that after the master of Dao Hall left, the entire Dao Bu had "collapsed."

This might not be unrelated to the master of Xuanji Hall's delayed arrival.

Still, he couldn't dismiss all possibilities, could he?

"You don't know; after the master of Dao Hall left, everyone in the Dao Bu..." Xi tried to explain further but hesitated, unsure if he should reveal something so shocking to her.

"But you should know!" Yu Zhiwen turned her head to look at him, snow from her shoulder lifting with the wind, brushing past her Zhuji Star Pupils and grazing Xi's ear as it went:

"Even if the master of Dao Hall left, he wouldn't sabotage the Tianji Great Array."

"He's not that kind of person."

Xi's pupils suddenly contracted.

In that instant, all thoughts in his mind went blank, as if erased by the wind and snow.

"Absolutely not!"

The snow fell heavily, and Xi heard Yu Zhiwen's firm declaration.

Indeed, was the master of Dao Hall that sort of person? Even if he had defected to Sheng Mountain, he had protected Yujing City for decades.

Would he bear to let the city's people become food for the Gui Shou Tan Shen?

Absolutely not!

So, he might tamper with the Sheng Mountain array or the Kyoto array.

But at most, as a brother, he might leave a few "playful" tricks to tease his sister.

He wouldn't make such a grave mistake on a matter of principle!

After all, if there was even the slightest chance of disaster, Yujing City would turn to ashes.

Though Xi hadn't followed the master of Dao Hall for long, he knew that in his eyes, no "what-ifs" were allowed.

"Repairing the array... no, mobilizing its power takes time and requires the assistance of Tianji sorcerers, and the master of Xuanji Hall couldn't find anyone quickly..." Xi grasped at this possibility.

A formation powered by thousands could activate in an instant.

But if it relied on one person alone, the difficulty would multiply exponentially—maybe that's what delayed the master of Xuanji Hall?

Yu Zhiwen glanced at him but said nothing.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Tianji Dao patterns began to form behind her.

The snow on the ground stirred, and in an instant, thousands of snow figures stood up.

These snow figures were plump and adorable, with clumsy charm, but their fingers moved deftly, manipulating spirit threads to weave layer upon layer of the Tianji Great Array.

Xi fell silent once more.

"Tianji sorcerers don't need array eyes or flags; one person is enough, especially with prior preparation." Yu Zhiwen said.

This statement gave Xi an opening, and he quickly responded,

"But even the master of Dao Hall needed the help of the white-robed ones... When he captured Xiang Yaoyao, he used the domain power of over a hundred white-robed figures as array eyes!"

"What about the Kyoto array and the Xuanji Great Array?"

Yu Zhiwen couldn't help but laugh at that.

She pursed her lips and stared at Xi for a long time, until his face turned slightly red. "What?"

"Are you really clueless, or just playing dumb?" Yu Zhiwen scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"The master of Dao Hall acted personally; he didn't need assistance. He just wanted everyone to feel involved, that's all."

Thud.

It felt like Xi's head had been struck by a club.

In an instant, countless scenes flashed through his mind...

Including how he had been one step behind the master of Dao Hall in tracing the Hua Hong thief, his insignificant presence in Changde Town, his marginal role on Qingyuan Mountain...

And the white-robed figures who stood as array eyes for an entire afternoon in the city, those who watched the battle in the town, and those who became cannon fodder in the night fight on Qingyuan Mountain...

So, was the master of Dao Hall really just trying to change the status quo of everyone being useless on Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain? But because of these "burdens," these "restrictions" he imposed on himself, he ended up outmaneuvered by Tianren Wushuai?

And the master of Xuanji Hall wasn't delayed by the master of Dao Hall's sabotage; she had the ability to resolve it quickly.

Instead, she exploited these "burdens," these "restrictions," to achieve a great victory in Yujing City, solidify her power, and make the name of Xuanji Hall resound across the five domains?

"Tch."

Yu Zhiwen stepped through the snow, passing by Xi's shoulder, exhaling a cold breath in the winter chill:

"Don't speak for her, whether she asked you to or not."

"She is my master, not yours. I know better than you what kind of person she is."

In that moment, her Zhuji Star Pupils gleamed with a highlight.

These eyes tried to pierce through the heavens and the great dao, to see through the one standing at the pinnacle of the sky, radiating unmatched elegance.

Yu Zhiwen trudged through the snow, no longer paying attention to Xi, leaving a trail of heavy footprints behind her.

Echoing in her mind was the question from Tianren Wushuai on Qingyuan Mountain:

"How did you get your Tear Family Pupils?"

"You're no Tear Family member!"

"Who told you these things?"

Yes, Tianren Wushuai's San Yan Pupils—whether from forgotten memories or deeming it unnecessary—had left those questions clear in Yu Zhiwen's mind, though she hadn't dared show it at the time.

Of course, she remembered her own answer—the one that had always come from her heart, never questioned:

"My... master..."

I'm not a liar.

But Tianren Wushuai insisted I was a sinner, thought I was a liar.

So, who is the real liar?

"Roar!!!"

Outside the Xuanji Great Array, Tan Shen thrashed wildly, its nine tails sweeping madly as the black chains on its body slowly melted away.

It seemed to be adapting to the power of the forbidden laws, attempting to devour and digest them bit by bit.

But the progress was too slow!

Forget about Dao Xuanji's Xuanji Great Array.

With its spirit-refining attributes restrained, even Fang Wenxin's Xueying Tongqian could slam the Gui Shou into a daze, making it impossible for it to escape through space.

The Gui Shou could only roar, unable to speak human words, but there was someone else in captivity who was ranting wildly:

"You crazy hag! Brainless fool! You self-righteous hypocrite who treats lives like weeds!"

"If you've got the guts, untie me and let's go one-on-one—see if your lousy array is better or my Space Mysteries are superior!"

"Dammit... I'm not willing! I'm not willing at all!"

"Bai Long! Bai Long, senior! Come save me!"

Bai Long didn't respond—perhaps knowing Ye Xiaotian wouldn't die anytime soon, or maybe just finding him annoying.

Ye Xiaotian was so furious he could explode.

He regretted being too civilized back in the Ling Palace, not stooping to learn from Xu Xiaoshou's tactics, so he couldn't spew even fouler words.

He could endure the pain of having his arms severed by the eight masters, the humiliation of being beaten by Huang Quan, but he couldn't stand this shame of being ambushed and taken down from within.

What the hell is this!

I was fighting outward, and you stabbed me in the back?

"Dao Xuanji! I bet you can't even match one finger of your brother Dao Qiong Cang—urgh, ahhh..."

Ye Xiaotian was in the middle of his tirade when his body suddenly convulsed, foam bubbling from his mouth as if electrocuted, his eyes rolling back, nearly passing out.

Sacred power from the black chains surged like knives, slashing at his spirit and soul, almost crippling him.

"Pah!"

"Just like scratching an itch—nothing to it!"

Once he recovered, Ye Xiaotian spat, but even though his spittle landed on the Xuanji Great Array, it didn't draw so much as a glance from Dao Xuanji.

"Fang Wenxin."

High in the sky, Dao Xuanji stood on auspicious clouds, holding a duster, her gaze fixed on the elderly Hong Yi who was still directing the Xueying Tongqian.

"Hmph!"

Fang Wenxin snorted coldly, refusing to acknowledge her.

"How is the task I assigned you coming along?"

A silence fell over the void.

The human-form Yu Laoye quickly patted Zhong Yuanzi on the back, signaling him to stop messing around, lest they provoke Dao Xuanji and doom them all.

Then, he hurriedly flew to Fang Wenxin's side and gave him a hard nudge with his hip, gesturing with his eyes:

"You're still the Hong Yi deputy sovereign, and she's still the hall master. In front of everyone, give her some face."

As he said this, Yu Laoye suddenly felt a pang of sorrow.

Wasn't he exhausted lately? Having to fight and manage everyone's emotions.

What about his fishing life? Who had robbed him of that?

"What task?" Fang Wenxin finally turned back, his gaze as cold as iron.

"Investigating the source of the Gui Shou Tan Shen's mutation—who is responsible." Dao Xuanji stated calmly and composedly.

Fang Wenxin paused, suddenly recalling Xu Xiaoshou's earlier response.

It came from the master of Dao Hall...

No, it was probably just his nonsense, smearing with unfounded accusations.

"I heard the enemy's lies and got their filthy words, but with no evidence, I have no answer." Fang Wenxin turned away.

"Oh?" Dao Xuanji's tone remained flat. "So, you failed to stop the Gui Shou Tan Shen, nearly leading to Yujing City's destruction, and you didn't complete the task?"

A wave of uproar swept through Yujing City.

Yu Laoye, hearing this and seeing the crowd below stirring with indignation, felt his scalp tingle.

He no longer cared about his own sorrows and quickly covered Fang Wenxin's mouth, which was about to erupt:

"We have an answer, we have an answer—we actually found it!"

Fang Wenxin glared back coldly, and Yu Laoye glared right back, whispering harshly:

"Do you want to die?"

"New leadership means new fires; think about it—who's she making an example of?"

"She plays her games like this; Dao Qiong Cang is already done for as the first scapegoat, with no chance of recovery. Do you want to be the second?"

These humans—how clueless about human nature!

Yu Laoye was heartbroken, caught in the middle and utterly drained. He already missed the days when Dao Qiong Cang was around.

Back then, being a useless one was blissful!

Whether in meetings or more meetings—even without fighting, just showing up to lend an air.

The ten-person council only needed one skill to handle everything:

"I second that."

Or, if you were too slow, the other one:

"I agree too."

Amid his lament, Yu Laoye caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye—Zhong Yuanzi was sneakily forming something big, stroking his chin while staring curiously at the Xuanji Great Array.

"You, stop that!"

Yu Laoye jumped in fright and quickly cast his three-zhang fishing rod, hooking the guy over and pressing down his explosive hair.

A wave of melancholy hit him.

In the past, he was the mischievous one, and Dao Qiong Cang was the one keeping everyone in line...

"Huh?"

Yu Laoye spotted his adorable, clever great-granddaughter walking outside the city like a porcelain doll, but with his hands full, he couldn't go greet her.

All because Dao Xuanji was such a poor manager!

Why does Xiao Yu seem so down?

Oh, so many people died in the city; she must be heartbroken... Damn that Dao Xuanji!

Dao Xuanji seemed oblivious to all this, or perhaps didn't care, and simply repeated, "So, the answer is?"

Fang Wenxin hesitated, words on the tip of his tongue.

He could imagine the massive impact of stating an uncertain and negative answer in front of the masses.

Dao Xuanji said nothing, just watched calmly.

"Dao Qiong Cang."

Fang Wenxin's voice was low, his head drooping as if he had aged decades. "That's what Xu Xiaoshou said, but the credibility is low."

"Who?" Dao Xuanji asked.

"Dao Qiong Cang!" Yu Laoye turned and shouted, his voice echoing far and wide. "The Gui Shou—was caused by Dao Qiong Cang!"

A deathly silence fell over Yujing City, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Fang Wenxin was shocked and quickly followed with a loud declaration, "But it was Xu Xiaoshou who sa—"

"Who?" Dao Xuanji interrupted. "I only ask for the result, not the process."

Fang Wenxin stopped short.

He finally understood that back on Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain, Dao Xuanji had probably known something all along.

She was playing dumb, manipulating him, using this statement as a sheath and him as the blade, binding him tightly to her side!

He had meant to bare his heart to the bright moon...

Fang Wenxin suddenly felt an overwhelming discomfort.

He had lived in seclusion for years, unwilling to emerge after Hong Yi went astray.

This time, he had only come because of the appearance of a sacred-level Gui Shou, with no intention of getting involved in Sheng Mountain's changes.

But alas, the world is a chessboard, and I am but a piece.

Not wanting to play doesn't mean others will let me go.

Facing the millions in Yujing City, Fang Wenxin closed his eyes heavily:

"Dao! Qiong! Cang!"

Those three simple words hit like thunder on flat ground.

After a brief pause, Yujing City erupted in chaos.

"The master of Dao Hall? That's impossible!"

"How is it impossible? Didn't you see the Kyoto array break? If the Xuanji Great Array hadn't shown up in time, we'd all be dead!"

"The master of Dao Hall has betrayed us; he's not the same anymore! I heard he killed people on Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain and fled out of guilt..."

"But colluding with Gui Shou... how could that be?!"

"How couldn't it be? He's been in power for over thirty years—who knows how much he's embezzled? Look at that Tianji Great Array; if it wasn't drained of resources, how could it have been breached so easily?"

"I don't believe it..."

"I do! The master of Xuanji Hall is our true savior!"

Rumors spread like flying snow, blanketing the city.

High in the sky, after Fang Wenxin spoke, his whole body trembled. He clutched Yu Laoye's arm tightly, as if it was the only thing holding him up:

"I have failed the name Wenxin..."

Yu Laoye's fist clenched, and his fishing rod snapped with a crack, but he restrained himself in time, not daring to explode now.

"Sigh."

He could only let out a long sigh. If only Mei Si Ren had been here earlier in that city...

He held back.

A slight smile tugged at Dao Xuanji's lips, and a hint of human emotion appeared in her hollow eyes as she proclaimed loudly:

"Dao Qiong Cang, for colluding with Gui Shou, slaying the adjudicator, and fleeing in guilt—death sentence! Wanted across the five domains!"

"Ye Xiaotian, for leaving the sacred palace unauthorized and aiding the sacred slaves—immediately imprison him in the Dead Sea for retrial!"

"The Gui Shou Tan Shen, for rampaging through Yujing and causing countless casualties—Fang Wenxin of Hong Yi, heed my command: execute it at once!"

"The Nan Yu Xu Yue Hui Gong, for colluding with sacred slaves and nurturing a devouring body—its crimes demand extermination..."

One decree after another was issued, as if long prepared. After settling the overall situation and listing the crimes, Dao Xuanji flicked her duster, her aura fully unleashed:

"All in the Sacred God Hall, hear my order! As my first decree upon taking office: cleanse Nan Yu, rectify the heavens!"

Yujing City erupted in excitement.

Countless people applauded; Nan Yu should have been cleansed long ago—this was true boldness from the master of Xuanji Hall!

"Cleave Nan Yu, rectify the heavens!"

"Cleave Nan Yu, rectify the heavens!"

"Cleave Nan Yu, rectify the heavens!"

The waves of sound grew louder.

Yujing City spontaneously built momentum, its force sweeping mountains and rivers.

Bolstered by the power of the Xuanji Great Array, this surging wave even spilled outside the city.

"This crazy woman..."

High in the sky, Ye Xiaotian's face turned pale with shock, his curses stuck in his throat.

He suddenly realized that it was all a setup.

This woman had planned it from the start; her goal wasn't the Gui Shou, but Nan Yu!

From the hall master change onward, step by step, ring by ring.

Starting from the eternally snow-covered Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain, she rolled the snowball to Yujing City, and now, she intended to push it to Nan Yu?

This crazy woman's schemes were so deep, her methods so ruthless, her plots so vicious—they surpassed even her brother Dao Qiong Cang in some ways!

"Cleave Nan Yu, rectify the heavens; Master of Xuanji Hall, boundless in all laws!"

"Cleave Nan Yu, rectify the heavens; Master of Xuanji Hall, boundless in all laws!"

"...Master of Xuanji Hall!"

"...Master of Xuanji Hall!"

At the south city gate, Yu Zhiwen stood frozen, gazing upward, completely overwhelmed by the city's roaring waves.

She actually saw a smile on her master's face?!

The master, who rarely showed emotion in decades, could smile?!

Those chants of "Master of Xuanji Hall" not only shouted out her long-suffering endurance and sweet victory but also heralded her true glory from behind the scenes to center stage.

"Is this what you wanted?"

Yu Zhiwen paused mid-step, suddenly unsure if, amidst such overwhelming momentum, she should voice the question that might displease others.

A light breeze stirred the snow.

The golden osmanthus along the path trembled suddenly.

Yu Zhiwen sensed something and turned back to see Xi looking around in astonishment...

"Sword intent?"

Far in the distance, Mei Si Ren, who was desperately suppressing the furious young man holding Cao Erzhu, also stopped.

He stared toward the north, his face full of disbelief.

"Huh?"

Cao Erzhu struggled a bit, noticing that the old immortal wasn't stopping him anymore.

"Go back."

The old immortal still held him and turned back toward the city where the vicious witch was.

"Is that okay?" Cao Erzhu panicked; he was actually afraid of that witch, mainly because earlier the old immortal had blocked him, allowing him to act impulsively.

Now that he had calmed down, the old immortal was the one getting fired up?

"We have no choice; we must go back!"

Mei Si Ren didn't hesitate, grabbing the burly man with one hand and darting quickly in the direction of the sword intent.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Amid the cheers in Yujing City, all the osmanthus trees shook in unison, though not due to the sound waves.

Someone stopped, because the spirit sword at their waist, meant as an ornament, suddenly flew into the air.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—"

The sword hums grew louder, impossible to contain.

Everyone stopped and looked up, watching as spirit swords filled the sky amid the wind and snow.

Osmanthus blossoms and snow soared high.

Sword intent surged with the momentum.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, from the nine heavens, after a thunderous drumroll, an ancient and massive Long Apricot pattern appeared.

"This is..."

Dao Xuanji frowned and looked up.

The various saints around gazed up in surprise.

As the ancestral tree pattern emerged, life burst forth in Yujing City, green sprouting amid the snow.

In the midst of the post-battle ruins, tender shoots grew rapidly, transforming into golden apricot trees blooming in the snow.

Golden osmanthus, golden apricots...

For a moment, they stood in equal splendor in Yujing City.

"Roar!!!"

Tan Shen suddenly threw its head back, flinging its nine tails and devouring the forbidden law's power, soaring into the sky.

Dao Xuanji was about to move when a black shadow streaked down from the nine heavens.

"Clang—"

It was a black sword, embedding itself fiercely into the Xuanji Great Array, its fierce demonic aura nearly enveloping the skies of Yujing City.

"There's the Four Swords!"

At the south city gate, Xi cried out in alarm.

It wasn't over yet!

"Clang—"

Another sword, wreathed in white flames, pierced through the heavens and stabbed into the Xuanji Great Array.

Whoosh, whoosh.

White flames erupted everywhere, consuming the fierce demonic aura and turning the outwardly black Xuanji Great Array into a yin-yang fish of black and white.

"Yan Python!"

Xi exclaimed again.

One cry might be a mistake, but two were certainty.

Yu Zhiwen leaped into the air, her Zhuji Star Pupils scanning everywhere, anxiously searching for something.

"Sss—"

Another high-pitched, serpentine sword cry twisted down from the heavens.

"Slow down, slow down..." A black-clad youth with disheveled long hair flew backward on his sword, riding the wind.

"Roar!"

Tan Shen suddenly opened its massive maw, its crimson eyes glowing maliciously as its fangs snapped shut.

But the nine heavens exploded with golden light.

Amid the brilliance, a dragon's roar shook the world.

A raging giant punched through, sending Tan Shen yelping and spewing blood as it crashed toward the Xuanji Great Array.

"Boom!"

The golden giant felled the Gui Shou trying to devour its master with one punch, then stomped heavily on its head.

With a whoosh, it transformed into a dashing young man.

The ice on Yu Zhiwen's face melted into a smile; she started to speak but quickly closed her mouth, biting her lip as she stared at him.

The youth stood on the black-and-white boundary, atop the demonic aura, a mix of righteousness and evil, impossible to define as good or bad.

The Long Apricot ancestral tree blossomed behind him in the high sky, scattering golden scales that added specks of gold to his black robes.

A slight smile curved his lips as he coldly fixed his gaze on the unfamiliar yet instantly irritating old woman's face:

"Hey, old hag, you're quite the expert at spouting nonsense—almost as good as your grandpa here!"