Hao Yi's eyes were full of satisfaction. The lively young woman before her had grown into someone who could stand on her own. She smiled and waved Ran Xi over to sit by her side, then glanced at the two majestic Snow Wolf Kings. "Are these new friends of yours?"
Sensing no contract marks on the wolves and knowing that fifth-rank snow wolves were near the top of the food chain in Weiyu Realm and would not easily form contracts, she asked to be sure.
Yunxi smiled. "I met them in the Misty Snow Domain. I once lent them a hand in that secret realm. When I was sent straight to the rear mountain of Huaxian Gate, which the evil cultivators had occupied, I invited the two of them to help. This is Xue Li, and this is Xue Ying."
Xue Li and Xue Ying both dipped their heads to Hao Yi in greeting.
Hao Yi returned the courtesy with a smile. "Thank you both."
Xue Li flicked his tail and replied evenly, "There is no need to be so polite, Zūnzhě."
"I brought Xue Li and Xue Ying to greet you first, Ancestor. I would like them to stay at Lingxue Peak for a while."
"Arrange it as you see fit."
Hao Yi, eager for Haoran Sect to gain more strength, agreed readily.
Yunxi then found sect disciples to escort Xue Li and Xue Ying to lodge temporarily at Lingxue Peak. The pair had no objection. Lingxue Peak's climate suited them better.
Just after she saw the wolves off, Yu Ling flashed into the rear mountain. Yunxi rose at once to greet him. "Ran Xi greets Master. I made you worry."
Silver-haired, robe white as snow, Yu Ling usually wore a cold expression. Now, for once, a faint smile melted the frost like first thaw, brightening the whole abode. He lifted his sleeve, helping Yunxi up, and looked her over from head to toe before nodding with satisfaction. "It seems your time away from Weiyu Realm has borne real fruit. Your cultivation now surpasses that of your teacher. There is little more I can teach you."
Yunxi ushered her master into the cave abode. After she and Yu Ling had taken their seats below Hao Yi Ancestor, she said with a smile, "Once a teacher, always a father. Master will always be my master. My cultivation has grown, but in experience and judgment I still cannot surpass you. I must trouble Master to guide me more."
Yu Ling's smile deepened a shade. "You always did have a way with words."
After a few warm exchanges to renew their bond, Yunxi took the initiative to recount what had happened after she, Han Lian, and the others entered the Polar Extreme Wind Zone.
She briefly described how they were accidentally sent to Azure Star, discovered the secret of the severed path of reincarnation there, then combined their strength to open the Ghost Gate and, borrowing the way of the underworld, returned to Weiyu Realm.
Most important of all, she repeated the news that an Evil God's body was sealed within Weiyu Realm, hoping Hao Yi might have some lead.
Once Hao Yi and Yu Ling understood what Yunxi had experienced during her disappearance, they were all the more certain it had not been simple.
Yu Ling stroked the Hive jade token at his waist. "It seems Ran Xi has ruined the evil cultivators' plans several times and has become a thorn in their side. Unable to kill her outright, they took the next best option, using the opening of the Misty Snow Domain to send her to Azure Star and trap her there.
That matches our initial guess when we lost contact with you. Fortunately, you were not sent alone. The four of you worked together and found a way back in time to turn the tide of the Central Region war.
Most crucially, you brought vital news that clarifies why the evil cultivators rampage in Weiyu Realm. Now we can design targeted campaigns to wipe them out."
Yunxi nodded, then turned to Hao Yi. "Ancestor, you have dwelled in Weiyu Realm the longest. Have you ever heard rumors of an Evil God's body?"
Hao Yi sighed. "I have not. The sealing of the Evil God's body must have happened far earlier, at least before Haoran Sect was founded, otherwise I would have some impression."
Yunxi spread her hands, a little deflated. "Ancestor, we know the Evil God's body is sealed in Weiyu Realm, but we have no usable clue to where.
The only thing that can locate the sealed site is Long Ya within the Shanhe Scroll, but the scroll is lost. The trail is cut off."
Yu Ling said calmly, "Do not be anxious, Ran Xi. Finding clues takes time and process. The war in the Central Region has only just ended. A buffer is needed."
Yunxi sighed. "Master, it is not that your disciple lacks patience. The time the four of us can suppress our cultivation is limited to one hundred years. If we cannot resolve the Evil God's body within that time, we must ascend to the Spirit Realm.
At that point, Weiyu Realm may not even be able to assemble the manpower to activate the Heavenly Gang Big Dipper Demon-Execution Grand Array. We cannot watch it become the evil cultivators' territory.
The Spirit Realm is already in dire straits and has no time for the lower realms. If Weiyu Realm falls, they will face attacks on two fronts and matters will worsen.
And with our cultivation only at Out-of-Body upon ascension, we cannot sway the larger war. We might even become cannon fodder. None of us can accept that."
Hao Yi and Yu Ling both sighed inwardly. They knew Yunxi spoke truth. Because it was truth, it was all the more paralyzing.
Even so, Hao Yi spoke steadily to reassure her. "Ran Xi, now that we know, we will not watch Weiyu Realm slide toward the worst end. Its survival is not yours alone to bear. As part of Weiyu Realm, we must shoulder our share.
You have done very well already. Rest for two days. I expect crowds will soon be lining up to visit you."
"Yes, I understand." Having said all that needed saying, Yunxi left the rear mountain with Yu Ling.
Seeing her spirits low, Yu Ling comforted her. "Do not fret. When the cart reaches the mountain, a road appears. If there is no road, we can make one."
"Master can rest assured. I understand. I only wanted to speak the worst outcome aloud, so everyone takes it seriously."
"If you tire of receiving guests, move to the back mountain and keep Hao Yi Ancestor company," Yu Ling suggested offhandedly.
Yunxi waved her hands quickly. "I suspect Hao Yi Ancestor will not have peace for long either. Lingxue Peak is freer."
"Yu Geng said before that after the Five Region Grand Tournament you would assume the position of Lingxue Peak Lord. But fortune kept finding you, and your cultivation soared. Now you have even surpassed Hao Yi Ancestor. You are the strongest in all Weiyu Realm."
Yu Ling could not help but feel moved. To see his disciple ascend within his lifetime would be a blessing. He would have to work hard as well.
Smiling throughout, Yunxi accepted her master's praise and the control of Lingxue Peak. After parting from Yu Ling, she returned to Lingxue Peak.
At that moment, Xue Li and Xue Ying were making their rounds of Lingxue Peak when they spotted Xiao Lei strolling in the courtyard.
===
So, I hit a bit of a wall and I think I need a new story to freshen things up. Basically, I got a little bored translating one of my projects on Webnovel, True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress, so I decided to pick up another novel.
I was looking for something with 'historical' mixed with 'transmigration' and 'Fourth Calamity' vibes. I found this shorter one, I think it's around 100-150 chapters, called Summoning Players: From Magistrate to Monarch.
You can check it out on my AO3 profile if this blurb hooks you!
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Lin Xi died, and then she got a promotion. Waking up in a new world, she's now the magistrate of a backwater county, a post awarded to her predecessor by a grateful emperor. The good news? She's skipped the peasant class entirely and landed a government job. The bad news? Her new county is poor, the roads are terrible, and the locals have a deep-seated distrust of anyone in power.
But Lin Xi has a theory: there are no bad citizens, only too many terrible officials. So, she rolls up her sleeves. She's planting crops, building bridges, and turning this forgotten place into a functioning society. She's doing such a great job that the one thing she never saw coming happens: the Imperial Court vanishes. The central government just... ceases to exist.
With no emperor, no chain of command, and no laws from the capital, what's a capable and ambitious local leader to do? For Lin Xi, the path is clear: if the old heaven has died, it's time for a new one to rise.
Meanwhile, in a modern world called Longguo, a hyper-realistic game titled From Magistrate to Monarch has become an overnight sensation. Gamers are desperate to play, but the chances of getting a spot are almost zero. The masses are left watching live streams, endlessly debating the game's ruthless AI. What they don't know is that the world is all too real, and the few lucky "players" who log in are about to have their own lives turned upside down, forever changing the fate of Lin Xi's rising domain.