Six days slipped by in haste.
Dawn had just broken; the eastern sky was not yet light, the first colors of sunrise barely spilling over the horizon, mist still clinging to the air. Before the gates of the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall, Lei Yu and Mu Yun stood shoulder to shoulder, bowing in solemn farewell to Lei Yu's mother. Then the two quickened their steps to catch up with Lei Gang, who walked slowly ahead.
"Father, is this trip to the tournament grounds?" Lei Yu asked, his voice carrying a thread of excitement, tangled with no small amount of barely concealed tension.
Lei Gang walked ahead, his steps steady, his expression grave. He gave only a faint reply:
"It is."
Mu Yun's gaze stirred, his tone even, yet carrying a thread of inquiry: "Might I ask where these tournament grounds lie?"
Lei Gang did not break stride, but his voice, like metal striking stone, carried back from the front:
"The Treasure Gathering Pavilion."
At these three words, both Lei Yu and Mu Yun faltered. They exchanged a glance, and each saw the same shock mirrored in the other's eyes.
"The Treasure Gathering Pavilion?!" Lei Yu murmured, doubt stirring in the depths of his gaze.
Mu Yun's heart, too, tightened, his brow furrowing.
Both knew well that in past years, the Qingchuan tournament had never been held within the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. This change plainly held some deeper meaning...
Before long, the three had arrived before the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
To Mu Yun's eyes, it was no different from what he had seen before.
The three fell silent and stepped inside one after another.
"Elder Huang." Lei Gang spoke first, a trace of respect in his tone.
Seated on a wooden chair outside the hall's inner door was an old man, eyes half-closed, his countenance still as an ancient well. Now he rose — his frame stooped, yet his gaze held straight ahead, as though he had seen through the mortal world.
He said nothing, only swept his eyes over the three of them, pausing slightly on Mu Yun. Then he spoke slowly.
"Wind and Cloud Martial Hall."
Four words, like a stone dropping into a deep pool — plain, yet carrying an inexplicable pressure.
He then pointed to the first door on the right and said calmly: "Go in."
At his words, the three turned as bidden.
They had just stepped through the door when Mu Yun suddenly spoke, his tone casual yet probing: "Is this old man called Huang Zhuo?"
Lei Gang paused, then nodded. "Oh? You know this man, friend?"
Mu Yun said softly: "Grandfather once mentioned that there is a senior named Huang Zhuo within the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. Last time I came here, I found the entire pavilion guarded by this one old man alone. Seeing his extraordinary bearing, I guessed as much."
Lei Gang gave a sound of mild surprise, as if something had clicked into place. He said slowly: "I have seen this man since I was a child. Now decades have passed, and his appearance has not changed in the slightest... I wonder if it is truly as the rumors say — that he has long since stepped onto the path of cultivation."
Lei Gang's thoughts raced, and he mused to himself:
"Elder Zhu actually knows this man, and Huang Zhuo's gaze lingered on Mu Yun for so long... It would seem Elder Zhu is also a figure who hides his depth. To have tempered Mu Yun to the Minor Subtle Realm of Qi Refining in such a short time... could it be that Elder Zhu also..."
"Father, look!" Lei Yu spoke urgently, a tremor of suppressed shock in his voice that pulled Lei Gang back from his reverie.
The three followed the sound. The scene before them transformed, and their expressions tightened at once.
"This... could this be the means of an immortal..." Lei Gang murmured, disbelief threading his voice.
For behind the door, the world opened wide.
Before them stood a vast, magnificent circular arena!
Above, a sealed dome blocked out the sunlight, yet it glowed with a gentle radiance like water, the surroundings bright and clear, no sense of dimness at all. And the sheer vastness of the space far exceeded the Treasure Gathering Pavilion itself — as though they had stepped into another realm.
Around the square, spectator seats ringed the perimeter, winding upward from the lower ground on all four sides in tiered steps that finally converged at the raised platform where the three stood. The platform was cast from some unknown material — jade-like yet not jade, lustrous throughout, faint spiritual light flowing within.
Not only the platform: the entire floor of the square and the steps connecting the four directions were all of the same seamless material, solemn and majestic, ancient in bearing.
Mu Yun gazed for a moment, then felt a stir in his heart. He turned to look behind him — the door through which they had entered... was gone without a trace!
His brow lifted, and he murmured to himself: "So it is true... This kind of realm-separating craft could never be the work of ordinary mortals."
At this thought, his expression grew even more solemn.
Just then, figures began to appear on the surrounding platforms, one after another — all with varied expressions, old and young, their auras extraordinary. Plainly, none were ordinary.
In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a figure stepped slowly into the center of the square.
The man wore a grey robe, his pace unhurried. His face showed no years, yet it bore the weight of a long and weathered life.
"Ladies and gentlemen."
The man stood still and spoke in a clear voice. It was not loud, yet it rang like a bell or struck stone, reaching every ear.
"The City Lord is in seclusion and has specially entrusted this old man to preside over this year's tournament."
As he spoke, he drew a hand decree from his sleeve, held it before his chest, and displayed it to all sides.
"This is the City Lord's own written order. If any doubt it, you may come and examine it."
The crowd exchanged glances, their divine senses stirring in secret, yet for a moment no one spoke, and no one stepped forward. Only a faint murmur rippled through the silent space.
After a moment, a voice suddenly rose in the stillness, its pace unhurried yet every word landing like a hammer:
"What Elder Huang says is beyond doubt. But... were someone from the Mu Manor to bear witness, it would be all the more complete."
As he spoke, the man raised a hand and pointed toward a platform in the southeast corner —
It was where the Mu Manor contingent stood.
At these words, Mu Yun followed the gesture and looked.
On the platform stood five figures, their robes stirring, their bearing extraordinary. At the front was a white-robed maiden, cold and ethereal; beside her, a green-robed man, his brows steady, his gaze like a blade; behind them, three black-clad men stood shoulder to shoulder, killing intent faintly lurking.
These five were no strangers to Mu Yun.
The white-robed maiden was the eldest daughter of the Mu Manor — Mu Lin. The green-robed man was plainly the youth who had fought him that day, though Mu Yun still did not know his name. And the three black-clad men were precisely Guard One, Guard Two, and Guard Three, who had appeared at the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
Among all the entrants, the Mu Manor fielded the largest number, followed by the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall; the rest mostly stood in ones or twos, scattered — some lone figures standing apart, some pairs walking together.
"May I ask, Miss Mu — is what Elder Huang says true?" The man continued, his tone deeply solemn.
For a moment, all was silent. Every gaze turned toward the white-robed maiden, held in breathless anticipation.
"What Elder Huang says is no falsehood." Mu Lin spoke softly, her words brief yet brooking no doubt. Her voice was like clear spring water striking stone, yet it sent a faint tremor through every heart.
Then she paused and asked:
"I wonder — what exactly is the final reward for this tournament?"
At these words, the crowd's gaze stirred. Plainly, this was what they all cared about most.
Elder Huang stood with hands behind his back, his face unruffled, and said slowly:
"Since none of you have objections, this old man will not beat about the bush."
"The ultimate victor of this tournament — or rather, the victorious faction — will receive three Foundation Establishment Pills!"
"Beyond that, no other reward is set."
These words landed like a boulder plunging into the sea, instantly igniting the entire assembly.
On the platforms on all four sides, murmurs swelled like a hum; even those normally the steadiest could not help but catch their breath.
Even Mu Yun, hearing the words "Foundation Establishment Pill," felt his expression shift slightly. As his chest stirred, his breathing quickened despite himself.
After all, for a Qi Refining cultivator, only Foundation Establishment — leaping over the dragon's gate — was the necessary step on the great path. And the Foundation Establishment Pill was precisely the extraordinarily rare aid that enabled that step!
Yet Elder Huang's voice rose again, drowning out the clamor:
"But!"
His gaze swept the four sides as he spoke slowly:
"This year's tournament rules... also differ slightly from past years."
"This year, there is only one rule."
Elder Huang's voice was steady as he spoke the next words slowly:
"Three days from now, you must return to the Treasure Gathering Pavilion — entering through the first door on the right. Five days after that, whoever can walk out of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion shall be the final victor, and receive the three Foundation Establishment Pills."
At these words, the platforms on all sides fell dead silent.
As though the very air of the entire square had suddenly frozen, a faint chill crept through it in secret.
The Qi Refining warriors of the mortal world were no mediocre lot. The phrase "whoever can walk out" was enough to set the imagination running wild — this year's tournament would likely be no mere contest of skill, but... a life-and-death elimination and slaughter!
"May I ask, Elder Huang..." Someone finally broke the silence, his voice trembling, "if those who cannot leave the Treasure Gathering Pavilion by then — what, precisely, becomes of them?"
The words had not yet fallen when another man beside him cut in with a cold sneer:
"What else? They're dead, of course!"
This was like a thunderclap, making more than a few hearts shudder.
"Dead? Damn it... what the hell kind of contest is this? However good the Foundation Establishment Pill is, life matters more!" The man roared. "I'm out of this! Elder Huang, I withdraw — that should settle it, shouldn't it?"
Elder Huang did not even turn his head, replying faintly:
"You may. Whether to participate in this tournament is entirely your own choice. If you have not entered the door by noon three days from now, it is taken as automatic forfeit."
With that, the old man swept his sleeve and strode away, his figure vanishing ahead, never looking back.
And now, when Mu Yun and the others turned to look, the warped, indistinct doorway from before had somehow reappeared on the platform.
"Come — back to the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall, we'll talk." Lei Gang's tone was heavy, his face so dark it could almost have dripped water.
Lei Yu and Mu Yun nodded, saying no more, and left the Treasure Gathering Pavilion with him.
The other factions on all sides, each with their own thoughts — some solemn, some whispering among themselves — slowly filed out.
Main hall of the Wind and Cloud Martial Hall.
Lei Gang sat in the main seat; Lei Yu and his mother sat side by side. An intangible pressure seemed to hang in the air.
"Father..." Lei Yu's brows were locked tight, his voice urgent. "Can we not take part in this contest? The path of immortality is vague and distant; how can it compare with life? Our whole family, living out our lives in peace and quiet — would that not be good enough?"
His gaze was firm, his words full of anxiety over the situation before them.
Lei Gang looked at his son, then glanced at the beautiful woman beside him. His expression softened, and he said gently: "Rest easy, my wife, Yu'er. Though this contest will likely turn into a life-and-death gamble, so long as that City Lord Mu does not personally make a move, your father... still has some confidence."
His voice was low, yet carried an unquestionable certainty.
Turning his gaze to Mu Yun, Lei Gang continued: "As for Young Friend Mu, now that this tournament has lost its original purpose and become a life-threatening affair, the agreement between myself and Elder Zhu is void. Tomorrow you may go your own way; if you wish to linger in the city for a few days, you may also remain at the hall."
Mu Yun was silent for a moment, then spoke at last:
"Uncle Lei, what I saw today — that Treasure Gathering Pavilion... is no ordinary thing. The Foundation Establishment Pill is rare, to be sure, but the danger within likely far exceeds any contest between Qi Refining cultivators. I suspect this tournament... may involve immortals."
At these words, Lei Gang's expression changed. "You mean... immortals?"
Mu Yun nodded slowly, his gaze deep as still water.
"Immortals — with one finger they can sever mountains and rivers; with a single thought they can move the stars. If such people truly take part... I fear we of the Qi Refining stage are, in their eyes, no more than ants."
His tone was light, yet every word was a blade, sinking the hearts of all in the hall.
Lei Gang stared at Mu Yun, then suddenly smiled. "Young Friend Mu is truly extraordinary. To hear you speak, I take it... you have already had the good fortune to glimpse the bearing of an immortal?"
"Immortals..." A bitter smile touched Mu Yun's lips, but he said no more.
"Over a month ago, in the mountains, I saw a cultivator from afar, battling another... The scale of it is something I will never forget."
"Oh? What was it like?" Lei Gang's expression sharpened, and he pressed urgently. Even Lei Yu and his mother pricked up their ears, drawn in by the topic.
Mu Yun only shook his head gently. "I do not know the details. I was only fleeing from afar, and still nearly lost my life... the pressure of it is etched in my memory to this day." As he spoke, his gaze stirred slightly, then he turned the conversation. "But hearing Uncle Lei's tone, it seems you have also seen a cultivator with your own eyes?"
Seeing that Mu Yun did not wish to say more, Lei Gang pressed no further and followed the thread: "Indeed. That was many years ago... back then, I was about the age Yu'er is now."
As he spoke, he glanced at Lei Yu, a flicker of recollection crossing his eyes.
"That day, I was practicing alone in the training ground. Suddenly, a white light appeared in the courtyard, blindingly bright. A figure... glowing all over with white radiance, abruptly materialized before my eyes."
"I could barely open my eyes. I could only dimly make out that the man actually smiled at me, his tone calm, and asked whether there was an old pavilion-like building in this place." Lei Gang's voice was low, as though still immersed in that memory.
"I was terrified out of my wits, my soul trembling. I shook my head wildly. The man showed no annoyance; he only reached out and patted the top of my head gently... by the time I came to my senses, he was gone without a trace."
He drew a deep breath, his gaze growing graver. "At first I thought I had dreamed. But after that day, my cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, my body growing strong, almost remade from the bones up."
"From that day on, I knew... in this world, there truly are immortals."
He paused and continued: "All these years, I have secretly inquired about cultivators, yet never found a trace. It was only after I entered Qi Refining that I realized the Treasure Gathering Pavilion holds a hidden world within."
"Alas, though I inquire within the pavilion every day, that Elder Huang is unfathomably mysterious, never showing the slightest sign of anomaly. To say he is no cultivator, I cannot believe; yet to say he is... he never reveals himself."
The beautiful woman and Lei Yu listened rapt, their faces grave, deeply moved by Lei Gang's words.
"But, as Young Friend Mu says," Lei Gang continued in a heavy voice, "what I saw today allows me to conclude — the Treasure Gathering Pavilion is no ordinary place, and Elder Huang is no ordinary man. This much is certain. Lei Gang is determined to take this gamble: to seize first place and use this immortal pill to step onto the path."
His words were resolute, an unyielding resolve shining in his eyes. When he finished, his face darkened and he said solemnly: "My wife, Yu'er — Lei Gang's mind is made up on entering the tournament. Say no more. On the day, I will enter alone; Yu'er and Young Friend Mu need not accompany me. If I do not return, Yu'er will inherit the family legacy."
Seeing that he had already made his decision, a flicker of reluctance surfaced in the beautiful woman's eyes, and tears streamed down. Seeing this, Lei Gang fell silent and drew her slowly into his arms, saying nothing for a long while.
After a moment, the woman wiped her tears and recovered her calm, a thread of resolve in her voice: "Three days will pass in a flash. Since your mind is made up, husband, there is no need for sentimental farewells. Prepare yourself early."
"Mother!" Lei Yu's eyes glistened. He was just about to speak when his mother gently cut him off.
"Yu'er," her voice was soft, yet carried resolve, "this is as your father arranges. Young Friend Mu, I trouble you to take my son away first."
Mu Yun had not expected his own words to have produced the opposite effect. Looking at the scene before him, he knew further words would avail nothing. He nodded gently and said warmly: "Since Uncle Lei's mind is made up, this junior wishes you every success."
Then he turned to Lei Yu and said softly: "Come — let us leave first."
The two walked side by side, their steps slow, each heavy with his own thoughts.