Falling Blossoms Valley was located in the central-southern heartland where it was spring all year round, while Jiuli Mountain was in the vast and lofty northern mountain ranges. Valley Master Cai had the foresight to leave plenty of time, either by taking the waterways or using the Sky-traveling Kite, allowing his wife and children to both enjoy the scenery and travel quickly.

On the day they disembarked from the boat, Gang Leader Wang of the Green Bamboo Gang, along with a group of his men, tearfully saw them off at the shore. He thanked Cai Zhao for the grace of not taking him as a master and even presented a dozen fragrant, glistening Smoked Plum Roasted Geese as a congratulatory gift. This angered Cai Zhao so much that her cheeks puffed up roundly like a pufferfish, and she furiously refused to eat.

The family traveled amidst laughter and cheer, finally arriving within the territory of Qingque Residence before they finished all their snacks.

Qingque Residence was named after the Qingque Sect. This was the place where Grandmaster Beichen had cultivated in the past. However, two hundred years had passed in a breath. The once remote and desolate snowy mountain village was now a holy land that all martial cultivators in the world yearned for. The Cai Family party lingered for a bit in the small town at the foot of the mountain before hiring a dozen single-wheeled carts suitable for mountain roads to ascend the next day.

Just as they left the small town, an exceedingly beautiful, steep, and solemn mountain ridge came into Cai Zhao's view.

The mountain was tall, steep, and majestic, looming over them oppressively. The enormous, treacherous rocks looked as if they were transformed from petrified demonic beasts, climbing ferociously and greedily above and around the travelers, seemingly waiting for an opportunity to strike. Layer upon layer of dark green, emerald green, and light green stacked up, surging forward until it was hard to breathe. The peaks that looked faint were actually so immeasurably huge and lofty that they were simply far away.

In the legendary Primordial Era, this place was riddled with the lairs of various demons and venomous creatures, which nourished themselves on the abundant spiritual energy in the mountains to grow stronger and plague the common people. These demonic beasts were later eradicated by immortals, who had one of their disciples, with the Daoist name Beichen, guard this place.

A long, long time passed. The world changed, the spiritual energy in the mortal realm depleted, and immortals no longer appeared. And the young disciple Beichen, who guarded Jiuli Mountain, became Grandmaster Beichen, the paramount leader of the martial cultivation world.

A young Cai Zhao once asked her aunt, "Was Grandmaster really a disciple of an immortal?"

Cai Pingshu smiled. "That was hundreds of years ago, who knows if it's true or not? But for us of the Beichen Lineage, we have to embellish our ancestor's story a little. Zhaozhao, do you hope it's true or false?"

"I hope it's false." Cai Zhao cupped her chubby little face, her expression very serious.

Cai Pingshu was a little surprised and asked why.

The little girl sighed like a grown-up. "All the other immortals left and flew up to the heavens. Only Grandmaster was left all alone in the mortal world. He's too pitiful."

Cai Zhao didn't remember most of the conversation that followed. She only remembered that the sunlight was very warm at the time, making her drowsy as she lay on her aunt's lap. Her aunt's expression was very gentle, her palm warm and soft as she stroked her hair and murmured, "Zhaozhao is so soft-hearted. In the future, you shouldn't wander the Jianghu."

Cai Zhao had no intention of wandering the Jianghu at all.

She liked Falling Blossoms Valley and Falling Blossoms Town. She liked hearing the Tofu Pudding Uncle's familiar calls in the morning, liked the wonton stall with its small shed and dim, yellow stove fire late at night. She liked having her family and friends by her side, basking lazily in the sun. How wonderful it would be to live a lifetime like this.

After finally climbing to the mountaintop, Cai Zhao discovered that the so-called 'mountaintop' was an extremely vast and open flat-top, as if the peak of a small mountain had been sliced off, revealing a round, flat cross-section. The main, cloud-shrouded peak further ahead was still a long way off.

On the vast flat-top were watchtowers and sentry posts. The dozen or so disciples stationed there saw the Cai Clan party and cupped their fists in greeting from afar. A round-faced man in his thirties leading the disciples bowed to Cai Pingchun and his wife, and Cai Zhao and her brother returned the courtesy.

Ning Xiaofeng teased, "Why is Dalou personally on duty here today? Don't tell me you made a mistake and were punished by being sent to Wind and Cloud Peak."

Zeng Dalou looked up and laughed heartily. "This morning, I did some finger calculations and predicted that the entire household of Falling Blossoms Valley would arrive today, so I came out to wait."

Cai Pingchun shook his head. "You were so honest as a child, but now you've learned to be slick."

Zeng Dalou moved his lips, but decided against speaking and just smiled.

Ning Xiaofeng interjected, "You must be thinking, 'What's this Cai Pingchun acting all mature for? He's only a few years older than me. We used to throw mud at each other when we played together, and now he's putting on the airs of a Valley Master.'"

Zeng Dalou laughed and waved his hands. "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

Listening to their parents talk with the man, Cai Zhao and her brother whispered to each other.

"Sis, where exactly is the Qingque Sect? It can't be here, right? Why aren't we moving on?"

"You big dummy, moving on? Where to? Can't you see the flat-top ends up ahead!"

The Cai Family had ascended from the southern slope, but the northern side of the flat-top was as if it had been cleaved by a giant, thick-backed broadsword, shearing off an arc-shaped edge and forming a clean, sheer cliff.

The siblings stood at the edge of the cliff, looking all around. Their feet were over empty space, with an unfathomable darkness below. Across the chasm, the view was shrouded in clouds and mist, and nothing could be seen clearly except for the faint, towering outline of a mountain peak.

Just then, Zeng Dalou waved his hand. A sturdy young disciple beside him took a horn from his waist, took a deep breath, and blew. The sound of the horn was deep, its wave-like undulating tone seeming to travel far into the distant peaks. The siblings didn't understand and were about to ask when Cai Pingchun walked over and pulled them aside.

A moment later, a terrifying sound of something cutting through the air came from across the cliff, accompanied by the clanging of metal. Four black iron chains, as thick as giant pythons, shot out like lightning from the thick clouds.

The hurtling chains were each as thick as a strong man's arm. They came with fierce, sharp momentum and a terrifying whistle. If they were to hit an ordinary person, it would surely result in broken bones and vomiting blood. The four sturdy young disciples beside Zeng Dalou held their breath, their muscles bulging as they took their stances. When the chains reached them, each man firmly caught one and quickly fastened it to the iron rings embedded in the ground.

"So amazing..." Cai Zhao's mouth fell open.

Cai Han nodded like a woodpecker. "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

Zeng Dalou cupped his hands. "You flatter me."

Just as Cai Zhao was about to offer more praise, she heard the rattling of the iron chains again. She quickly turned her head and saw several sect disciples with their hair tied up and swords on their backs, treading on the iron chains and gracefully emerging from the clouds.

The one in the lead was especially striking. He was about eighteen or nineteen, dressed in a plain, gold-embroidered robe. He was handsome and refined, as if carved and polished, a truly rare beauty. However, his expression was solemn, and his brows conveyed a cold arrogance.

Cai Pingshu had once said to her knee-high little niece: "Zhaozhao, in the future, when you look for a husband, you must not find one who is cold and arrogant. Because that kind of man will definitely need you to coax him. In this life, isn't it better to be coaxed by others? Why seek hardship by coaxing someone else?"

Thus, at a young age, Cai Zhao made up her mind that her future husband must treat her with the same affability a shopkeeper shows a major patron.

Coming back to her senses, Cai Zhao looked at the beautiful young man's feet. She saw that he only needed to lightly tap the iron chain with his toes to leap a great distance with ease. His figure was as graceful as an immortal's, and he was much faster than the other disciples.

When they landed, all the disciples on the flat-top cupped their fists in salute to the youth in the plain robe. He, however, only gave Zeng Dalou a single-handed salute before bowing to Cai Pingchun. "Disciple Song Yuzhi greets Valley Master Cai, Madam Cai."

As he spoke, the other few disciples also got off the iron chains.

Cai Pingchun nodded, but Ning Xiaofeng frowned, sizing up the young man's appearance. "Your surname is Song? Your father is..."

Before she could finish, a commotion arose behind the crowd, led by a loud, synchronized chant. Cai Zhao turned to look and saw thirty-two muscular men with their right shoulders bared, neatly carrying a huge palanquin.

The palanquin was painted with gold and inlaid with jade, with exquisite draperies fluttering on all four sides. Even the four corners were adorned with red gold bells, whose clappers were surprisingly made of translucent tourmaline. Following the palanquin was a baggage train that stretched like a long snake, its tail out of sight.

It was the first time they had traveled so far from the valley, and Cai Zhao and her brother were dumbfounded on the spot. Cai Han's mouth hung open. "What... what great pomp..."

Cai Pingchun murmured, "So it's him."

Ning Xiaofeng said expressionlessly, "Why am I not surprised at all?"

Cai Zhao turned her brother's head and questioned him, "Do you still think I'm particular now?"

Cai Han shook his head vigorously.

Cai Zhao lamented in a low, heartbroken voice, "I feel like I've been practically scrimping on food and clothing!"

Cai Han nodded forcefully.

The youth in the plain robe, who was standing nearby, heard this, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

The palanquin stopped, and a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent, imposing attire stepped out. The uniform pigeon-blood red gems inlaid on the gilded sword at his waist alone made it a little hard for Cai Zhao to open her eyes. To be fair, this nouveau-riche uncle was quite handsome, with a high forehead and a prominent nose, and dashing features. He must have been a dashing figure in his youth, and even in middle age, his charm had not diminished.

It was just that Cai Zhao found him a little familiar... She snapped her head around. Speaking of which, why did this nouveau-riche uncle look so much like the cold, arrogant, and handsome Song Yuzhi next to her?

The moment Zeng Dalou saw the people from the Vast Heaven Sect arrive, a helpless expression appeared on his face. While putting on a smile to greet them, he quietly instructed his disciples to go to the cliff's edge to set something up.

Song Yuzhi ignored Cai Zhao's scrutinizing gaze, took a step forward, and said, "Father, you've arrived."

His father was very happy to see his son, his eyes filled with admiration. "Yuzhi, your lightness skill has improved again."

Just then, an even more arrogant voice came from behind. "Father, you're not even going to scold Yuzhi? It's been so long since he's written home."

Everyone followed the voice and saw a young master in lavish clothes slowly approaching on an exceptionally magnificent steed. The solid gold, gem-encrusted bridle alone was priceless. He was followed by another rider, who looked ordinary, on an ordinary horse.

Cai Zhao frowned. Using such a fine, spirited horse to climb a mountain slope was truly a waste of a precious thing.

Ning Xiaofeng rolled her eyes and asked Zeng Dalou, "When you were doing your finger calculations, did you happen to predict that he would arrive today as well?"

Zeng Dalou gave an awkward smile.

Song Yuzhi stepped forward again, cupping his hands in a salute. "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Yuzhi greets you." He then introduced them to the Cai family. The one in ordinary clothes was the Song family's eldest son, Xiuzhi, and the one whose dazzling, jewel-adorned attire was a carbon copy of their father's was the second son, Maozhi.

Song Xiuzhi immediately dismounted and bowed, but Song Maozhi just tilted his chin up and gave a dismissive laugh.

Cai Pingchun's expression remained unchanged, but Ning Xiaofeng couldn't help but reach for the pouch at her waist. Cai Zhao knew her mother's hands were itching for a fight and quickly went over to quietly hold her mother's hand down.

"Pingchun, long time no see. You haven't changed a bit." The Vast Heaven Sect's Leader, Song Shijun, strode magnanimously toward the Cai family.

"You're too kind. Greetings, Big Brother Song." Cai Pingchun cupped his hands and then handed the floor to his wife.

Ning Xiaofeng gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "He's fine, he's fine. Pingchun is young, after all, so of course he hasn't changed much. Sect Leader Song, on the other hand, has changed quite a bit... That belt of yours must use a lot more material than before."

Song Shijun's face immediately darkened. "Heroine Ning's tongue is as sharp as ever." Yet he couldn't help but touch his waist—Sect Leader Song was indeed dashing, indeed imposing, but also indeed... a little bit chubbier.

Song Shijun considered his status; winning a battle of wits against a woman wouldn't be glorious. So he shifted his gaze and saw Cai Zhao and her brother standing to the side. "This must be the Zhaozhao who is about to enter the Qingque Sect. I've long heard about you from my younger brother Yunke. Alas, it is a pity your aunt has passed away, otherwise I could have shared a drink and a conversation with her this time."

Cai Zhao's confusion was very sincere. "Is Sect Leader Song very familiar with my aunt?"

"But of course." Sect Leader Song smiled with mature composure.

"But my aunt never mentioned Sect Leader Song." This was the truth, because the young lady Cai considered herself to be of upstanding character and usually did not tell lies.

The Song father and sons: ...

Ning Xiaofeng suppressed a laugh, wanting very much to hug her daughter and give her a kiss.

It was the good-natured Cai Pingchun who stepped in to smooth things over. "Big Brother Song, Falling Blossoms Valley has recently concocted two batches of superior golden sore medicine. Why don't you have a look, brother? Xiao Feng, you come too."

Song Shijun nodded stiffly and walked to the side with Master and Madam Cai. From a distance, Cai Zhao could hear him asking, seemingly still unwilling to give up, "Pingchun, did your sister really never mention me?" Then Ning Xiaofeng chimed in, "What would Sister Pingshu say if she did mention you, Sect Leader Song? Don't you have any idea? It's better not to ask questions that might hurt our friendship..."