The formidable experts of the Qiankun Sect sat sternly before houses built of ice-bone and snow-tile, their gazes cold as they fixed upon the foreign figures from the Mani Sect across the way.

The contingent from the Mani Sect, including the Four Great Dharma Kings, were seated cross-legged amidst the ice and snow. Each one was already thoroughly covered in accumulated drifts, appearing from a distance like silent snowmen, utterly devoid of any discernible life signs.

Liu Qing and Wang Xuelan, two elders of the Qiankun Sect, sat in silent communion with Xue Biandao and a few others, their eyes sharp and perpetually attentive.

Huangfu Tong, Chen Qisen, Chen Qilin, Murong Tuo, and Liao Zhenshu remained within the ice chambers behind Liu Qing and Xue Biandao, each man's brow deeply furrowed, their expressions solemn.

Upon hearing of the strange upheaval at Tianshan, Huangfu Tong and the others had immediately abandoned all their prior engagements to rush here. Only upon arrival did they learn that Gu Zhan and You Lan had already engaged in battle high in the Ninth Heaven, with the outcome of their duel yet unknown to anyone.

The Four Great Dharma Kings of the Mani Sect opposite were all profound masters, each having reached the realm of Eight Trigrams Heaven (Bāguà Tiān). After Huangfu Tong and his group arrived, seeing their side’s superior strength, they had intended to strike against the Four Dharma Kings, but Liu Qing intercepted them.

Before the duel between Gu Zhan and You Lan commenced, Gu Zhan had explicitly forbidden them from making any rash moves. Therefore, until both Gu Zhan and You Lan had revealed their power, Liu Qing would not permit Huangfu Tong’s group to act.

Although Huangfu Tong was the former Empress of the Shuiyun Garden, she dared not defy Liu Qing, as he claimed this was Gu Pu’s direct command. Thus, she could only remain alongside Liu Qing, Wang Xuelan, and the others, awaiting news.

“Knowing that the confrontation here has been delayed, we should have first gone to Blood Rain Mountain to settle matters there. Murong Tuo frowned, glancing at Huangfu Tong, “Or perhaps we should temporarily set aside this situation and hurry to Blood Rain Mountain to eradicate those people of the Dark King?” Murong Tuo was the true master of the Murong family, a cultivator of the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm. It was thanks to his existence that the Murong family had managed to stand firm among the Seven Great Clans for so many years, enabling their Yunsi Pavilion business to flourish across the entire country.

Chen Qisen and Chen Qilin remained silent. Liao Zhenshu, the elder sect master of the Yuehua Sect, naturally looked towards Huangfu Tong.

Shaking her head faintly, Huangfu Tong replied, “You need not worry about Blood Rain Mountain. Before I came here, I heard that Xuanyuan Valley is teeming with experts—already secured by several masters of the Eight Trigrams Heaven level. Furthermore, that harbinger of slaughter, Li Hentian, is also stationed in Xuanyuan Valley. Self-preservation should not be an issue.”

“Indeed, as long as Tianshan remains safe, Blood Rain Mountain will be fine,” Chen Qisen agreed, nodding. “If we achieve a decisive victory here at Tianshan, even if they have sealed off the people on Blood Rain Mountain, they would not dare commit widespread slaughter. Only if we suffer a defeat here would they feel free to act without restraint.”

“Xuanyuan Valley? The Ji Family?” Murong Tuo paused, shaking his head with a touch of disdain: “What prospects can the Ji Family possibly have? Over the years, whenever our Yunsi Pavilion conducted business in the Southern Barbarian lands, we frequently passed through the Qingyan Mountain area. We know the Ji Family far better than you do; that clan doesn't even qualify as a second-rate sect. What role could they possibly play?”

“Circumstances change. Now that the new generation of Xuanyuan has emerged from the Ji Family, their resurgence across the world is not impossible,” Liao Zhenshu smiled faintly. He had learned some details about Ji Changkong from his disciple, Bai Tuhai, and he held a particular fondness for Bai Qingya. Knowing that Ji Changkong had repeatedly saved Bai Qingya and bestowed upon her precious treasures, Liao Zhenshu had developed a subtle goodwill toward Ji Changkong even before meeting him.

“One hopes so,” Murong Tuo replied, his demeanor clearly unconvinced, his expression cold.

Just then, a group of people rounded the Four Great Dharma Kings of the Mani Sect and approached their location amidst the swirling snowstorm.

“Who goes there?” Xue Biandao’s expression turned icy as he suddenly called out sharply.

“We are people of the Murong family. May I ask if my father is present?” Murong Hui inquired respectfully, bowing slightly.

Hearing this, Xue Biandao nodded faintly, signaling that Murong Hui, Gong Haitao, and the others were permitted to pass.

Murong Tuo, who had been conversing with Huangfu Tong and Liao Zhenshu, frowned slightly when he heard his son Murong Hui’s voice from outside. When Murong Hui, Gong Haitao, and their entourage entered, Murong Tuo snorted coldly and bellowed, “Insolent whelp! I sent you to Blood Rain Mountain to provide support, so why have you run over here?” Upon seeing his father’s rage, Murong Hui, Gong Haitao, and several other Murong family experts were startled and immediately dropped to their knees, heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound.

“Speak!” Murong Tuo stared coldly at his kneeling son, his voice rising slightly.

“Reporting to Father, we… we were driven out by others…” Murong Hui’s voice was so low that anyone below the level of an Eight Trigrams Heaven master would likely not have heard. Murong Tuo’s previously furious face seemed to freeze into solid ice, matching the cold temperature of the Tianshan peak. Even his voice seemed to carry an icy chill: “Driven out by others? Who dares to be so audacious as to ignore even our Murong family?” As Murong Tuo spoke, his peripheral vision subtly swept across Huangfu Tong, Chen Qisen, and the others, causing their complexions to shift slightly, an uneasy feeling stirring in their hearts.

Murong Tuo’s fiercely protective nature regarding his kin was notorious. If anyone from the Murong family suffered a grievance, regardless of whether the fault lay with the Murong family, he would first exact vengeance before investigating the true circumstances.

When Murong Hui claimed they were driven out of Blood Rain Mountain, Murong Tuo instinctively suspected only the Huangfu family, the Chen family, or the Yuehua Sect would possess the audacity and the strength. As for the sects located on Blood Rain Mountain, they were entirely outside Murong Tuo’s consideration; he had never believed that any sect on Blood Rain Mountain would dare oppose the Murong family.

Especially now, with the experts from the He family and the Starstone Sect temporarily imprisoned after being afflicted by the ‘Heavenly God’ technique, he was even more certain that no sect residing on Blood Rain Mountain would dare cross the Murong family.

“The… the Ji Family. It was Ji Changkong of the Ji Family who drove us out of Xuanyuan Valley,” Murong Hui murmured softly.

Huangfu Tong, Chen Qisen, Chen Qilin, and Liao Zhenshu were instantly stunned, their faces frozen in disbelief.

Smack!

Murong Tuo delivered a harsh slap across Murong Hui’s face, his own expression as cold as frost, roaring in fury: “Useless dog! To be driven out by a mere junior when you are a dignified Seven Star Heaven Master, and you still have the nerve to speak?” Slap, slap!

With the four others from Huangfu Tong watching, Murong Tuo was reluctant to lose face entirely, delivering several more blows that left Murong Hui’s cheeks red and swollen.

“Father… Father, spare me! There were two masters of the Eight Trigrams Heaven realm! When two Eight Trigrams Heaven masters moved to strike, we had no choice but to withdraw from Xuanyuan Valley! And… and Li Hentian was there too; he was helping Ji Changkong drive us out!” Gong Haitao knelt beside Murong Tuo, kowtowing loudly and weeping.

“What? Two masters of the Eight Trigrams Heaven? And… and Li Hentian actually intervened to expel you?” Murong Tuo halted, the chill in his eyes deepening. However, when Murong Tuo mentioned Li Hentian, he inexplicably glanced toward the outside, and his voice suddenly lowered considerably.

“What exactly happened?” Huangfu Tong asked in a low voice, her expression grave. “I know of Li Hentian… He would not bother meddling without reason. Did you… did you perhaps do something to displease him?”

Seeing that Li Hentian was implicated, not only Huangfu Tong, but also Chen Qisen, Chen Qilin, and Liao Zhenshu were deeply shaken and hurriedly inquired.

“No need to say more. You will all accompany me to Xuanyuan Valley. Once we are there, I will ask exactly what transpired!” Murong Tuo suddenly ceased his rage, stopped hitting Murong Hui, and spoke calmly.

Yet, anyone familiar with Murong Tuo knew that this calm state was when he was most terrifying. At such times, his mind was made up, and nothing anyone else said would make a difference.

“My apologies, everyone. I intended to remain at Tianshan to assist, but I did not expect this situation to arise. Well, fortunately, your presence here at Tianshan is sufficient, and it seems no battle will break out immediately. I shall depart for Blood Rain Mountain first,” Murong Tuo told Huangfu Tong and the others, then turned and walked directly outside.