It was precisely because of the Myriad Spirits Ancestral Vein that the Kunlun Mountains were revered as the Land of Myriad Gods and the Realm of Immortal Spirits. Spirit beasts and immortal beasts were countless here. The heavenly spiritual herbs and resources were beyond measure. Likewise, the dangers that lurked were also unfathomable. Every region had both its wonders and its perils. The most unpredictable thing was always the human heart—one could never assume safety simply based on location.
Just like the Great Yi Dynasty. While Da Yi was a rare paradise for the human race, a flourishing sanctuary of peace and prosperity, crimes still occurred. The Six Doors continued to capture criminals each day, sending them to the Heaven Prison for judgment.
The world had always had two sides.
To paint it as purely virtuous would be unbelievable.
Desire was endless. The human heart, inscrutable.
Yi Tianxing had never expected perfection. So long as the overall direction remained righteous, his efforts were meaningful, and the establishment of the Da Yi Sacred Court was worthwhile.
"No wonder it's called the Mountain of Ancestral Veins... The Kunlun Mountains, Land of Myriad Gods—it truly lives up to its name."
Yi Tianxing nodded in admiration, a faint smile on his lips.
He had developed a strong impression of the place already.
Looking out around him, he saw the entire Kunlun range shrouded in mist, making it impossible for outsiders to approach. Mysterious and unfathomable, no one knew how many sacred immortal peaks lay within. The clouds drifted ethereally—like a true celestial realm—with mountain after mountain veiled in illusion.
There were so many immortal mountains that they were beyond count. They stretched endlessly like coiling dragons, vast and immeasurable. No one could estimate just how large this Kunlun truly was—it was a fusion of countless Kunlun ranges from numerous worlds, far grander than the version known in the mundane past. Some of the peaks pierced the heavens, towering sky-high and utterly unreachable.
Each mountain was steeped in heaven and earth's essence. Every peak was a sacred ground for cultivation.
"There are so many immortal mountains—any one of them in the outer realms would trigger bloody conflict between countless sects. These truly are blessed lands."
Yi Tianxing sighed in wonder. With his Innate Yin-Yang Eyes, he could instantly discern the spiritual richness and auspicious energy scattered across the land. It was simply incredible.
"Brother, according to the records of my sect, the Kunlun Mountains are boundless, housing innumerable immortal peaks. Each of those peaks is home to sects of varying sizes. Even if a peak has no current owner, it won't remain unclaimed for long. It's said that only five-star sects and above are qualified to establish a foothold here."
Zhao Ziyan explained.
A five-star sect needed at least one expert in the Yang God Realm, along with a complete orthodox lineage. Even then, they could only claim territory along the outer edges of the Kunlun range. The stronger the sect, the better the position they could acquire.
Here, five-star sects were common. The Kunlun range was far from peaceful. Today a sect might rise, tomorrow it could fall. As long as sect wars didn't stir public outrage, they were often ignored by the powers that be.
Qionghua Immortal Sect, Zhao Ziyan's home, was a seven-star sect. It boasted experts in the Dao Platform Realm and, according to rumor, possessed even deeper hidden foundations. With an ancient legacy and a lineage focused on sword cultivation, its killing power was tremendous. Most wouldn't dare provoke it lightly. Among the outer sects of Kunlun, it held a strong reputation, and its disciples were respected wherever they went.
Naturally, the truly top-tier sects resided in the inner ring of Kunlun. Only eight-star sects and above were allowed to set foot there—those were holy-land level forces.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, a series of sharp sounds echoed through the sky.
Looking up, sword lights flashed past. Cultivators flew through the air—some walking on air, others flying atop swords—heading toward a single direction. Each one exuded celestial grace, as though gods had descended to the world. For a moment, it felt like stepping into another realm entirely.
"Huh? The Golden Radiance Sect, Taihua Sect, Lihuo Sect, and Qiankun Sect—they're all here? And heading toward my Qionghua Immortal Sect? Could something have happened?"
Zhao Ziyan's eyes flashed with surprise.
From their clothing and insignias, she recognized their affiliations immediately. These were six- and even seven-star sects, each with no less prestige or power than Qionghua itself. All had their own specialties and profound heritages.
Now they were gathering and heading toward Qionghua together—something was clearly going on.
"Let's go. We'll find out when we get there."
Yi Tianxing smiled and gestured.
"Mm, follow me."
Zhao Ziyan didn't hesitate and immediately led the way.
The domain gate had been calibrated using the coordinates from her body. Not only did it place them in the Kunlun Mountains, but it landed them quite close to Qionghua. The distance wasn't far.
While in Da Yi, Zhao Ziyan had refined a cloud-shaped magical item named Ziling Immortal Cloud. It glowed with a violet luster—elegant, noble, and graceful in appearance. Though not as fast as the legendary Somersault Cloud, it was still extraordinarily swift, capable of traveling ten thousand miles in a flash. Its body was a rare heavenly treasure gifted to her by Yi Tianxing, merged with the essence of spiritual clouds.
After refinement, she had come to love it dearly. It was already close to becoming an innate-grade treasure. With another breakthrough, it would rise to an even higher tier.
"Brother, look! That's the Qionghua Immortal Sect up ahead!"
Zhao Ziyan pointed with a bright, heartfelt smile. Having spent decades of her life there, she held genuine affection for the place. It had always treated her well, and she had never suffered mistreatment.
Her attachment to this place was sincere.
"It truly lives up to being the base of a seven-star sect—an exceptional immortal mountain indeed."
Yi Tianxing looked up and silently praised it.
At the base of the mountain stood a towering stone stele, upon which two characters glowed: Qionghua.
This was Qionghua Mountain, a lofty peak that reached the heavens, exuding a thick aura of spiritual energy.
At the foot of the mountain was an immortal path that stretched up into the sect. Normally, Qionghua disciples could fly directly into the sect. They didn't need to walk the immortal path. But today was different.
Today, many cultivators were walking up the path toward the mountain gate.
Disciples in Qionghua Sect robes were stationed at the entrance, smiling and nodding to visitors—an atmosphere of joy and festivity in the air.
"Xiao Chunzi, Xiao Guizi, why are the two of you guarding the gate today? What's going on? Why are there so many guests from other sects?"
Zhao Ziyan descended with Yi Tianxing and landed before the gate. She smiled playfully at the two young disciples on duty, calling them by their nicknames and winking mischievously.
"Martial Aunt Ziyan! You've returned—that's wonderful!"
One of them, the disciple known as Xiao Chunzi, beamed with joy upon seeing her. Then his expression turned slightly bitter: "Auntie… could you stop calling me Xiao Chunzi? My name is Chunguang! That nickname sounds like something you'd give a eunuch!"
"Exactly, Auntie. Ever since you gave us those nicknames, we've been laughed at endlessly in the sect. We… we've suffered!"
Xiao Guizi added loudly.
Their faces were filled with helplessness. Those nicknames had become a running joke throughout the sect.
Tears nearly welled in their eyes as they spoke.
"Alright, alright. I only called you that out of affection. If you don't appreciate it, fine. But don't come begging me for goodies next time—no treats, no fun adventures, none of the perks of being my favorite juniors."
Zhao Ziyan teased with a grin.
"No no no! We were only joking, Auntie! I'll always be your faithful Xiao Chunzi!"
"And I'll always be your loyal Xiao Guizi!"
The two quickly switched attitudes, fawning shamelessly.
They nearly added a dramatic "how fragrant!" to their expressions. Being close to Zhao Ziyan had brought them countless benefits. Even crumbs from her table were enough to feast on. Compared to those perks, they didn't mind being called anything at all—not even Little Little Chunzi.
After the banter, Zhao Ziyan's expression turned serious as she asked, "So what's happening today? Why are there so many visiting cultivators?"
"Martial Aunt, your timing is perfect. It's the wedding of Martial Ancestor Yun and Martial Ancestor Suyu. Invitations were sent to many sects. We were supposed to notify you too, but you were all the way in the Da Yi Sacred Court, and it was hard to reach you… so you weren't informed."
Xiao Chunzi explained quickly and smoothly.
"What!? Uncle Yun and Aunt Suyu are finally getting married? Honestly! Such a big event and no one told me! If I hadn't come back this time, I'd have missed it completely. Those two have been hesitant for so long—who finally broke the stalemate?"
Zhao Ziyan was visibly intrigued and deeply curious.
In Qionghua Immortal Sect, the highest rank was the Tai generation, most of whom had long since gone into seclusion to preserve the sect's legacy. After that came powerhouses like Suyao, Suyu, Yun Tianqing, and Xuanxiao. Then came Zhao Ziyan's generation, followed by others. The sect was divided into four tiers: core disciples, true disciples, inner sect, and outer sect. Each tier had vastly different access to resources and attention.
But there were always opportunities for advancement.
Over the years, the Qionghua Immortal Sect had only grown more prosperous.
Yun Tianqing and Suyu had long been rumored to be a couple, but for reasons unknown, they had never formally become Dao companions. No one expected them to finally tie the knot now.
Truly, better to arrive by chance than miss the moment.