The scenery was breathtaking, the mountains and rivers stunningly beautiful, with towering peaks rising ruggedly, grandly imposing and deeply secluded.

This place was none other than the Zhenwu Seven Peaks.

At dawn, accompanied by a faint chime that seemed both existent and non-existent, a figure gracefully ethereal as an immortal, from afar to near, instantly appeared before the eyes of the guarding disciples.

"Natural paradises are born, Immortal Mountains have their beautiful names. Ah, the Zhenwu Seven Peaks!" The white-haired Daoist gazed at the seven peaks enveloped in mist and clouds, his words filled with unspeakable sentiment, whether it be nostalgia or admiration.

It had been almost ten years since he last leisurely gazed upon the Zhenwu Seven Peaks like this. At that time, when Qing Yu first laid eyes on such a majestic sight, his heart was filled with desire and hope, the greatest in his life.

Alas, before that yearning could fade, the heavens collapsed.

The fall of Xuanfa plunged Qing Yu into 'hell mode' as soon as he arrived at the Zhenwu Sect. Back then, he was constantly anxious, fearing he might meet an untimely end any day.

Even after he later went to that decrepit Taoist Temple on Beicang Mountain, his heart never found peace.

"May I ask what business this esteemed Daoist has?" the guarding Daoist earnestly inquired.

This white-haired Daoist, with an aura of immortal charm and a body surrounded by a mysterious Daoist rhythm at just a glance, was clearly no ordinary Taoist.

The two guarding Daoists were experienced and well-informed, having witnessed many visitors to the Zhenwu Sect, but there were few with the demeanor of the white-haired Daoist before them.

"This humble Daoist Qing Yu seeks an audience with Daoist Xuan Shang," Qing Yu replied with a smile.

"Qing Yu..." The guarding Daoist couldn't help but recall, a few years ago, the coffin that Senior Xuanfeng brought back. Inside that coffin lay the body of a Daoist named "Qing Yu."

It was unexpected to see a living Qing Yu today. It truly was a remarkable coincidence.

And this Qing Yu's Daoist name...

The guarding Daoist thought of his own Daoist name; he too belonged to the Qing generation.

Thinking of a Daoist starting with the name Qing addressing Master Xuan Shang as a Daoist friend, one couldn't help but wonder what Master Xuan Shang's thoughts might be?

"Please wait a moment, Daoist," the other guarding Daoist said respectfully. "I will go and notify Master Xuan Shang immediately."

Of course, there was also Master Xuanming.

This was a thought the guarding Daoist didn't voice.

Xuan Shang's return to the mountain had caused great vigilance among Xuan Chen's faction. Especially since Xuan Shang seemed to have returned with a specific purpose, secretly rallying the old followers of Xuanfa in recent times, quietly uniting the once scattered group after Xuanfa's death.

"There's no need," a surge of Daoist energy suddenly approached, and Xuan Shang appeared nearby.

His figure flickered, arriving in an instant before the Daoist ready to sprint up the mountain, "Your humble Daoist has arrived, so you need not trouble yourself."

With that, Xuan Shang took a few steps forward, performed a respectful gesture with his fist and palm, saying, "It has been a long time, Daoist Qing Yu."

"Indeed, it has been some time," Qing Yu responded with a smile, returning the gesture.

He had agreed to visit the Zhenwu Sect as soon as possible, yet it had taken over nine months before Qing Yu could make his way to the Sect. During these nine months, Xuan Shang had been waiting earnestly.

"Come with me, Daoist Qing Yu," Xuan Shang clenched his fist tightly within his sleeve.

"Wait, Master Xuan Shang, when a guest arrives, we must still inform Master Xuanming..."

Under Xuan Shang's watchful eye, the voice of the gatekeeping Taoist became smaller and smaller.

"Could it be that I can't bring a guest into the mountain? Hmm?" Xuan Shang looked coldly at the gatekeeping Taoist, an invisible aura crushing down.

Those called upon to guard the gate could never have high cultivation. Although the Zhenwu Sect, in demonstrating the grandeur of a Great Sect, didn't have disciples of the Postnatal Realm guard the gate, neither was it extravagant to the point of employing Martial Artists of the Divine Origin Realm for such tasks.

If it were the Divine Origin Realm, one could persist a little, but the Innate Realm, forget about it.

In the next breath, both gatekeeping Taoists collapsed softly to the ground, especially the one who had spoken, whose consciousness had become even more blurred.

"Hmph," Xuan Shang flicked his sleeve, saying, "Let's go."

He took Qing Yu directly into the mountain.

On the spot, the two Taoists remained slumped on the ground, the other gatekeeping Taoist who was not particularly attended to by Xuan Shang looked at his companion with pupils devoid of consciousness and sighed helplessly.

Why bother? Insisting on opposing Master Xuan Shang.

Even if Master Xuanming were to come, he would not stop him in light of the gap with Master Xuan Shang, to the point where he could not even have a friend visit. Siding with the big shots in a struggle, aren't you afraid of drowning in deep waters?

Elsewhere, walking slowly along the mountain path with Xuan Shang, Qing Yu also sighed, "It seems that Daoist Xuan Shang's days in the Zhenwu Sect are somewhat disagreeable."

If it were otherwise, not even a gatekeeping Taoist would dare to confront Xuan Shang.

"The one in charge of gate enforcement is Senior Xuan Zheng from Zhengyang Peak, and he is one of Xuan Chen's people," Xuan Shang said indifferently.

Defying the Master, gate enforcement, but if the person responsible for enforcement is not one's own, unless one acts personally, these people will ultimately have no serious consequences. Conversely, those who assist Xuan Shang's side and get caught by the tail end up in trouble.

Furthermore, after all, Xuan Chen has been in charge of the Zhenwu Sect for ten years, his authority has long been established at the grassroots. Xuanfa's old subordinates bear grudges because of past events, but the middle and lower level disciples would not harbor any such grudges.

Thus, it is only natural that Xuan Shang faces difficulties in his actions upon his return.

However...

"To suppress you by unequal treatment, one could wonder if it's a lack of skills or something else," Qing Yu said with a hint of mockery.

Whether they support Xuan Shang or not, everyone is a member of the Zhenwu Sect. As Sect Leader, one important aspect to pay attention to is to keep the water level, or at the very least, maintain basic fairness.

To ignore those who defy the Master in the attempt to suppress Xuan Shang, it must be said, is a foolish move.

Ordinary disciples have no power; their main function is just to cheer. The real decision-makers are the high-level power holders.

To let ordinary disciples confront Xuan Shang is also an inadvertent diminishment of disciples' reverence for the higher-ups and gate enforcement.

"Heh," Xuan Shang noncommittally uttered.

The two continued their slow journey, and from a distance, they could see the path up the high peak. The familiar path, the familiar peaks, everything in front looked so familiar.

'Wanfa Peak. It is a revisit of the old haunt,' Qing Yu thought to himself as he looked at the direction of their journey.

More than ten years ago, Qing Yu followed Xuanfa up this path. Now, more than a decade later, he had returned to this place. This was originally Xuanfa's territory and where Qing Yu had spent his days confined.

After Xuanfa's death, the Peak Master of Wanfa Peak was succeeded by Xuanfeng. Unexpectedly, upon his return, Xuan Shang was also residing at this peak.

'It makes sense, after all, he's the younger fan brother of my affordable master,' Qing Yu thought.

As Xuanfa's most loyal follower, it would have been abnormal had he not stayed at Wanfa Peak upon his return.

"Follow me and meet my Senior Xuanfeng," Xuan Shang said, a cold smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

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