As the monk let out a roar, snatching Tian Xiong by the neck with one hand, he vanished with a spring of his legs, leaving no trace. When Zhou Huan collected himself, only Shi Bingyuan remained beside him. Seeing Shi Bingyuan’s evident discomfort, he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, then let out a long breath. “Master, I’m fine now, much better. Who was that monk just now?”

“He is an old friend of mine, our relationship is beyond ordinary. I am relieved he could take Tian Xiong away. He is an unparalleled master, an otherworldly sage. In all my memory, there is nothing he cannot accomplish; any feat, no matter how difficult, he performs perfectly. Furthermore, he understands the workings of heaven above and the geography below. What’s more, he can predict the future—that’s truly rare. So, I trust him completely and have no worries for Tian Xiong. However, my sole concern now is you, Shi Bingyuan.” Just as Zhou Huan finished this heartfelt speech, another figure emerged from the woods. Zhou Huan scrutinized him closely—it was the monk again.

Zhou Huan was about to speak, but the monk clamped a hand over his mouth. “Relax, it’s nothing serious, just a bit tiring. This boy’s issue is minor. Later, you two go train on the mountaintop for another seven days, then go back to the tournament. Nothing will be delayed!” Having spoken, the monk turned to leave.

“Old friend, why aren’t you leaping this time?”

“I was too hasty before, forgot something. I won’t jump this time. Wait for those foolish beggars you gathered; let’s go, let’s go!” Like a gust of wind, the monk disappeared.

Zhou Huan blinked, completely unable to fathom his old friend; truly a living immortal.

“Master, that monk is quite interesting. Moving with the wind, truly extraordinary!” This was Shi Bingyuan’s assessment of the monk.

Zhou Huan smiled. “We probably only met because of this. No choice now, let’s go. Straight up the mountain, let’s see if there’s any ‘hot air’ he mentioned.”

“Two Masters, walk slowly! We brought your supplies up! Come, eat first!” A few beggars came running up the mountain, gasping for breath from the climb. Zhou Huan turned back, grinning, and patted Shi Bingyuan’s shoulder.

“Bingyuan, let’s eat first. Once we go up, we’ll be meditating for another seven days. These fellows seem quite useful. We’ll sit on the mountain, give them some money, and ask them to keep watch. Otherwise, it’ll be quite miserable for them, and if someone else shows up, we’ll be delayed again!” This was Zhou Huan’s reasoning, and Shi Bingyuan considered it sensible. He stopped, turning back to wait for the approaching beggars with Zhou Huan.

When the beggars reached them, the leading one pulled a large bundle from his waist. “Masters!” He stopped abruptly here, glancing around furtively. “Ah, how is one Master missing?”

“Oh, that Master had to leave temporarily; he won’t be back. Have you eaten well?” Zhou Huan asked with genuine concern, seeing that the beggars looked on the verge of tears.

A small beggar stammered, his voice trembling, “Master, we bought portions for three people. You say that Master was spitting blood, and yet he doesn’t even get food? You Masters are such good people, I…” As the small beggar spoke, tears welled up. He then pleaded pitifully, “Master, since that Master can no longer eat, I—I’d like to eat his portion. I didn't eat enough just now!”

Hearing this, Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan burst out laughing. This fellow was too practical, too straightforward, but certainly interesting. From this, one could gauge how long it had been since these fellows had eaten, their extreme yearning for sustenance.

Zhou Huan smiled and said, “Eat it, you can have both of ours!”

“Bastard! You certainly ate your fill earlier! We shared our portions with you, and you’re still not satisfied?” The leading beggar chastised the small one.

Zhou Huan bent down. “Alright, you eat it. Perhaps we will be worse off than you in the future. Hurry up and eat. If the money isn't enough, I have more here. Here!” With that, Zhou Huan pulled a silver ingot from his robe—it was worth over ten taels, enough to feed a family of three for more than a month.

“Young brothers, listen carefully. Spend this money wisely. We can’t eat anything too extravagant, but being full should be no problem. This money is for you to watch over things. We must stay on this mountain for seven days. During these seven days, you all must help keep watch and prevent anyone from approaching us. If you absolutely cannot stop them, then come and slowly wake us up. Never like today—that could easily injure you, or cause us to die without even knowing how we perished. Understand?” Zhou Huan finished speaking, then added, “Remember, this money is enough for you to eat for seven days. If it runs out, you must manage. We won't be eating more; just get us some water to drink. You guard this spot.” After speaking, Zhou Huan turned and led Shi Bingyuan up the mountain. Once atop, looking down from the height, they saw the beggars all standing as if stunned, staring blankly after the receding figures of Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan.

“Master, did you really give them all our money?” Shi Bingyuan asked Zhou Huan, a faint furrow appearing on his brow.

Zhou Huan chuckled again. “You don’t see the connection. It’s simple: they guard the mountain gate for us. My two streams of True Qi have now successfully merged into one. If both streams fully combine, we will certainly secure a rank in the Dharma Assembly, making it to the final stages. Do you think you’ll still need to pay for lodging yourself then? Likely, food and drink will all be complimentary?”

As Zhou Huan analyzed it, Shi Bingyuan suddenly understood. “Oh, I see, Master! Hahaha, it seems that in this world, from ancient times until now, the principle of Great Unity prevails!”

The two ascended the mountain and stopped beneath a green pine. This spot faced the sun, receiving the longest daylight hours. Yet, strangely, despite the mountain not being high, there was snow; the sturdy branches were piled high with white powder, and the ground beneath was already blanketed in accumulated snow.

“Master, what is the situation here? Why is there snow everywhere?” Shi Bingyuan felt that something was amiss again. This was clearly midsummer, yet the scene suggested another season entirely.

Zhou Huan spoke cheerfully. “This time, we must use the chilling energy within us to repel that trace of heat from this bizarre illusion. This is also difficult. Only if we succeed in this can our internal True Qi flow freely. At the very least, regaining our previous state should not be a difficult task.”

Zhou Huan’s words were filled with hope, making Shi Bingyuan feel as if the desired effect was imminent. This bolstered Shi Bingyuan’s confidence even further. Before Zhou Huan could even sit down, he eagerly took the spot. “Master, are our mantras still the same?”

“Yes, you must hold firm to that single thought mantra; it absolutely cannot change. This time is crucial!” Zhou Huan repeatedly stressed the importance of this meditation session. In truth, even Zhou Huan himself was uncertain; he didn't know why this place was configured this way—such heat outside, yet so much ice and snow, while the perceived ambient temperature felt scorching hot. This baffled Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan. Nevertheless, following the plan, the two began to sit cross-legged and cultivate their Qi.

One day, two days, three days… seven days passed. Everything went smoothly. The beggars were truly dedicated, diligently patrolling the mountain’s perimeter every day, guarding the area where Zhou Huan was meditating. As dawn approached the eighth day, at the predetermined moment when Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan were about to conclude their Qi cultivation, a large detachment of imperial soldiers had somehow amassed at the foot of the mountain. Leading them was an official of considerable age, accompanied by more than a dozen elite palace guards. This group headed straight toward the base of the mountain. Upon arrival, the official stood still, and immediately, attendants brought forth a large table, setting out food and drink for over a dozen people. The official sat down, staring intently at the mountaintop.

“Brother, what’s happening down the mountain?” The leader of the beggars was on the night shift; he knew nothing of the day's events. The small beggar had been on the day shift, so the older beggar asked if anything happened earlier.

The small beggar propped his chin in his hand, thinking for a long time before his eyes suddenly brightened. “I remember now. Earlier in the day, some soldiers came by, but after seeing us sitting here, they just glanced up toward the peak and left.”

“It can’t be that simple, just a quick glance and then nothing?” The old beggar had wandered the Jianghu for many years; though a beggar, he possessed a certain depth of worldly experience. As he spoke, the old beggar’s eyes darted around, and suddenly, he felt waves of intense heat rolling in. When he turned back, fire rings had erupted around Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan, making it seem as though they were burning.

“I know. The official down there is clearly here because of the way those two Masters are cultivating,” the old beggar said. Turning back to the other beggars, he instructed, “Remember, no matter what happens later, we must stall the official below until sunrise. Once the sun is up, our task is complete, and the two Masters can retreat successfully.”

“Understood, Uncle Qi. We should stop the official even if it means provoking him?” the small beggar asked.

The old beggar nodded, smiling faintly. “I sense this man isn’t here with malicious intent, but the two Masters above might be in some trouble!”

Looking down the mountain again, hundreds of soldiers had already begun ascending, blocking all the smaller paths on the mountain. The official held a teacup, sipping noisily, his legs crossed casually. He suddenly shouted, “Brothers, watch closely! When the sun reaches its peak, go up and ‘invite’ the two Masters down. My head is forfeit to the Lord Minister if they aren't brought down—if I suffer, none of you will fare well either!”

“Yes!”