The entirety of the Kunlun Mountain Range appeared on the verge of a volcanic eruption; the entire chain was caught within the tremor.

The night sky, already devoid of luster, was suddenly engulfed as if scorched by intense fire, displaying layer upon layer of crimson sunset clouds, as if huge buckets of red and yellow pigment had been violently splashed across it!

Within a thirty-mile radius of Kunlun Mountain, everyone, regardless of their internal energy cultivation level, could feel the profound anomaly gripping the mountains.

Those with insufficient internal energy cultivation staggered, unable to keep their footing, while those with significant accomplishments in internal energy could sense a torrential surge of power rocketing heavenward from Kunlun.

Crucially, within this surging heaven-and-earth energy, there was a distinct trace of negative energy, causing dizziness and a deeply unsettling sensation!

"What in the world is happening!"

"Could it be that the Ten Thousand Year Marvelous Treasure is finally emerging!"

"Heavens above, this must be the emergence of the Ten Thousand Year Marvelous Treasure!"

"Didn't they say that treasure wouldn't emerge for another two months? How could it be surfacing today?"

"That's the Ten Thousand Year Marvelous Treasure! Who dares claim they know exactly when such a thing will appear?"

"Exactly! This is the Ten Thousand Year Marvelous Treasure; what else could cause such a massive disturbance in Kunlun!"

...

Outside Kunlun Mountain, the various sects and great families, large and small, were jolted awake from their slumber. The darkness covering Kunlun instantly became a hive of activity!

As they furiously debated, they did not forget to quicken their pace, bursting out of their tents and rushing toward the mountain. Large groups poured out of the encampments at the foot of the mountain, surging upward simultaneously. Within a few waves, these groups merged into a massive human tide!

The major first-tier sects and prominent families situated halfway up the mountain could no longer restrain themselves. Practitioners at the third and fourth layers of internal energy began to show themselves. However, these grand powers maintained a degree of restraint; their gazes were fixed solely upon the powers closest to the Long Family Plain!

The Li family of Shushan, the Hua family of Changbai Mountain, Shaolin, Wudang, the Demonic Sect, and the Zhou family were nearest the Long Family Plain, and thus closest to the forest where the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach grew. Though their camps showed no outward signs of disarray, within their boundaries, chaos had already erupted!

It was fortunate that the elders and senior members of these great families stepped forward to take control of the overall situation, preventing their respective camps from descending into the same disorganized crush as the ant-like throngs outside.

The moment this upheaval began, the Grand Completion masters within these families sensed the overwhelming energy within Kunlun even earlier than ordinary cultivators. They had already positioned themselves outside their tents, collectively staring toward the direction of the Long Family Plain in Kunlun!

Yet, none of them harbored any immediate intention of venturing into the area where the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach supposedly grew to investigate.

"Brother Zhou, has the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach finally ripened and emerged?"

The Grand Completion master of the Demonic Sect, Di Wanfang, although severely wounded and not yet healed, was still a Grand Completion master—a lean camel is still larger than a horse. While he hadn't sensed the energy as early as the Zhou family's Grand Completion master, he immediately recognized the force causing the Kunlun upheaval.

"No, Brother Di, this is not the sign of the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach emerging. If the Flat Peach were maturing, its energy would never be this violent. Can you not feel the thick, sky-piercing resentment mixed within this surge?"

The Grand Completion master of the Zhou family frowned deeply. It wasn't that he didn't wish to investigate; it was that the energy felt profoundly strange. Another reason was that he clearly sensed all the other Grand Completion masters remained within their respective camps.

Having planned all along to be the oriole waiting behind the mantis stalking the cicada, the Zhou family's Grand Completion master certainly wouldn't make a move before the other Grand Completion masters acted.

Since the Zhou family's Grand Completion master remained still, Di Wanggu naturally could not move either. He grit his teeth, standing beside the Zhou family master, staring into the distance, thinking, If my injuries were healed, I could certainly discern the difference in this energy, but now...

"Forget it. Let's not concern ourselves with what this is. Since the Grand Completion masters of the Li, Hua, Shaolin, and Wudang families aren't moving, neither shall we!"

The Zhou family's Grand Completion master pondered for a long moment, quickly making up his mind. Regardless of whether this commotion was due to the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach, he would remain inactive and observe the situation!

...

At the Shushan Li family camp, Li Jianyi stood at the entrance. From within the camp behind him, the shouts of his sect’s elders occasionally rang out; these elders and seniors were desperately trying to maintain order within the Shushan Li family at this moment.

After a significant pause, the Li family Head, Li Wenruo, arrived by Li Jianyi’s side. He wiped the sweat from his brow, bowed respectfully, and then spoke with deep concern, "Are these signs indicating the emergence of the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach?"

"This disturbance doesn't feel like it," Li Jianyi murmured, frowning in thought. He looked toward the direction of Kunlun, the Long Family Plain. Although he couldn't sense Zhang Yang's presence, the aura of the Medical Saint Zhang family patriarch, Zhang Pinglu, was still present. This implied that the turmoil had not drawn out the Zhang family members either. If the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach truly were maturing, the Zhang family would never remain so calm.

"The Hua family, Shaolin, and Wudang show no movement; we shall not move either. This energy is too peculiar. The signs of a treasure like the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach emerging could never be mixed with such violent auras!"

Li Jianyi continued without turning his head, "Wenruo, you must strictly control our Li family disciples. Under no circumstances should they act rashly, and they must absolutely avoid inciting violence!"

"Yes!" Li Wenruo immediately acknowledged Li Jianyi's command.

"Where exactly did this energy originate from?" Even after Li Wenruo departed, Li Jianyi was still muttering to himself, his eyes filled with doubt.

...

Shaolin's camp was the most composed amid this entire event.

When the energy burst triggered the seismic activity in Kunlun, Shi Fang, positioned at the front of the disciples, was the first to open his eyes. The disciples behind him startled awake from their meditation, their expressions showing panic.

"Amitabha. If the heart does not move, the earth does not move."

With that, Shi Fang closed his eyes again, remaining untroubled by the shaking ground beneath him. The disciples calmed down in response, putting their palms together and joining Shi Fang in a loud recitation of the Buddha's name.

The contingent Shaolin had sent this time truly consisted of elites; even as the earth shook and the Buddha statues swayed, they showed no further reaction.

In front of the camp, Master Shi Ming stood with his palms pressed together, utterly silent, facing the Long Family Plain, showing no intention of moving toward it.

Outside the Wudang camp, the Wudang Grand Completion master paced back and forth. He desperately wanted to investigate the source of the energy burst, but he, too, sensed that the other Grand Completion masters had not yet moved. Thus, he could only forcibly suppress the urge in his heart and remain still.

Conversely, outside the Hua family camp, Hua Feitian looked utterly bewildered, appearing to fully grasp the origin of this energy!

"How... how is this possible? There's a Spirit Beast here that has achieved Grand Completion!"

Hua Feitian, as the Grand Completion master of the Hua family, had been resting and recuperating in Changbai Mountain. It was known that a Fifth-Layer Spirit Beast resided there. Hua Feitian had witnessed that Fifth-Layer Spirit Beast's majesty several times on Changbai Mountain; hence, he understood this energy better than anyone. Only when a Spirit Beast breaks through its cultivation and achieves Grand Completion could such a commotion occur!

In other words, Hua Feitian was the person among them who best understood the cause of this energy.

"A Grand Completion Spirit Beast! Could it be the guardian beast of this Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach? The peach hasn't matured and emerged yet, but its guardian beast has already reached Grand Completion... Will the struggle for the Ten Thousand Year Flat Peach be even more difficult this time?"

But even knowing the cause of the energy, Hua Feitian's feet felt as if they were cast in lead; he couldn't take a single step forward.

...

Within the Long Family Plain, the Long family disciples were roused from sleep by the Kunlun anomaly.

However, the Long family did not descend into chaos. Thanks to the efforts of Zhang Daofeng, Zhang Yun'an, Long Feng, and Long Haotian, the Long family members, who had been startled by the turbulence, quickly calmed down.

"Senior Zhang, what exactly is going on?" Long Feng, covered in sweat, had exerted considerable effort to pacify the Long family disciples. At this moment, Zhang Daofeng was busy calming Mi Xue, Qu Meilan, and the others. The only person he could ask was Zhang Yun'an.

Since the energy first erupted, Zhang Yun'an hadn't seen the Patriarch again, so he didn't know what had happened and couldn't answer Long Feng. However, he was certain in his heart that this disturbance must be connected to Zhang Yang.

Zhang Pinglu had already appeared at the junction where the Long Family Plain met the forest, his face etched with worry.

This forest was the epicenter from which the energy emanated, and it was the focal point of Kunlun's current violent shaking!

"Yangyang, you absolutely must be safe and sound!"

The old man didn't know what that energy was or how it related to Zhang Yang, but Zhang Yang represented the greatest hope for the rise of his Medical Saint Zhang family. He could not allow even the slightest harm to befall Zhang Yang!

Muttering this, the old man stepped resolutely into the forest!

Facing the surging tide of heaven-and-earth energy, Zhang Yang's pace accelerated sharply. Forced into a retreat, he backed behind the thick, massive tree, bracing himself to resist!

The momentum of this energy was too powerful. Even at Zhang Yang's level of strength, he dared not confront it head-on. Simultaneously, Zhui Feng had already ducked behind the tree with Zhang Yang. The two little ones, Wuying and Shandian, leaped directly into the canopy, using the dense branches and foliage to resist the overwhelming torrent of power!

This vast, tide-like surge of energy arrived quickly and vanished just as fast. In an instant, silence returned to the woods. Dust stirred up by the gusting, eerie wind within the trees settled quickly, dissipating a few yards away before vanishing entirely.

The wind passed without a trace, the leaves rustled softly, and occasionally a few leaves drifted down. In the forest, it seemed as if nothing had happened; profound silence reigned.