Chapter 4

Su Zhen was also stunned.

…Was he waving at her?

Yes.

Even though there were over a thousand people in the hall, she could clearly sense that he was fully focused on her.

It was a purely spiritual feeling.

That man was staring at her, looking at her physical form, and at the primordial spirit hidden within.

Because there was no hostility, it did not feel uncomfortable—just a bit strange.

Su Zhen was momentarily dazed. The disciples of the Four Peaks had finished their salutes, and everyone was straightening up.

The man on the high platform calmly lowered his hand, but the smile on his face did not fade; he was still staring at her.

The sect leader was giving a speech above, welcoming this senior uncle back to the mountain, but Su Zhen had no interest in what was being said.

As one of the direct disciples of the First Seat, Su Zhen stood at the front of the line of Cloudstorm Peak disciples—no one could block her.

That recently returned senior uncle kept his gaze fixed here without blinking.

Strangely, the surrounding disciples seemed calm, maintaining their original expressions—some reverent, some curious, some indifferent.

…They seemed utterly unaware of anything unusual.

Why?

Could it be that they didn’t see what she saw?

Having invested much effort in spiritual and sensory arts, Su Zhen first thought of all related possibilities but quickly found them absurd.

Would that person have cast a mass illusion over the entire hall just to stare at her?

Though it might not be difficult for him, why?

Just because they met briefly last night?

Moreover, that strange, somewhat dim-witted "junior" was hard to associate with the legendary Immortal Lord Chaohua.

Wait.

She vaguely remembered thinking the same about Immortal Lord Chaohua’s intellect in her childhood.

Su Zhen felt confused, pondering.

Besides, why did that guy appear at Cloudstorm Peak yesterday? Was he really looking for her master?

Given his status, he should have been able to summon people directly to Lingxiao Peak, not have her seek him out.

Could it be a different person who just looked very similar?

Perhaps the one she saw last night was his son or brother?

—Otherwise, which Immortal Lord would bother picking up scraps?

Well, although she had only broken a basin, the Jade Essence Crystal Herb inside was still intact. It might not count as scrap, but surely he wouldn’t care about just one spirit plant?

Forget the financial means an Immortal Lord should have; with his capabilities, he could wave his hand and move the entire Hanging Bell Mountain, where countless spirit herbs grow abundantly.

Thinking this, Su Zhen couldn’t help but look up again.

The black-clad young man on the high platform had turned his face sideways but still faced the center of the hall.

He was still dressed in dark colors, but more formally than last night.

Wearing a magpie-feathered high crown, a dark black robe embroidered with subtle patterns, a jade belt, and wide sleeves perfectly tailored, his posture looked even more heroic.

After his smile vanished, his incomparable handsome face became stern and imposing, his brows and eyes radiating authority that inspired awe.

This expression lasted but a moment.

Next, he turned his head again, a vivid smile appearing in his eyes.

Unconcealed.

He seemed not to mind showing this emotion.

Su Zhen quietly scanned the surroundings.

The other disciples nearby maintained their usual expressions. Knowing them well, she was certain they wouldn’t have been so unaffected if they had witnessed this scene.

Of course, this was for the best—she wasn’t eager to be the center of attention in such a moment.

Especially since she herself was utterly bewildered.

She looked up with puzzlement.

Even father and son or brothers rarely look exactly alike; if they were twins, there would be rumors in the sect.

Besides—

When he looked at her, his expression was exactly the same as last night.

Su Zhen could not describe what kind of state that was.

They were meeting for the first time, but his gaze carried a strange contradiction of familiarity and unfamiliarity.

She wanted to further ponder the oddity when suddenly she sensed another gaze.

On the high platform, the white-robed man standing behind the sect leader also slightly turned his head, his calm eyes fixed on her.

Su Zhen blinked, meeting his gaze without flinching.

Immortal Lord Yuchen stood on the platform, the light mist from the eternal lamp reflecting in his eyes. Those clear and pure eyes looked at her like snow under moonlight—cold and immaculate.

Su Zhen felt oddly dazed.

She had left her family and come to the Eastern Domain when she was young, originally seeking medicine due to injury but ended up staying to apprentice and cultivate for centuries.

She had returned home and traveled for cultivation but mostly remained at the sect during her early years.

Her master had guided her cultivation and taught sword techniques, often spending long periods facing each other.

By the time Liu Yunyao arrived, Su Zhen’s cultivation had progressed enough that she no longer needed to frequently seek her master’s counsel.

At first, she still liked visiting him, but after various events, she grew reluctant, choosing to either enter seclusion or go on adventures.

Over the next centuries, she met many people, but none spent more time alone with her than her master.

Before her death, Immortal Lord Yuchen had returned wounded from the Demon Realm and secluded himself for recovery; Su Zhen had not seen him then.

Calculating the time, they had not met for several years.

Now, their eyes met again, evoking a feeling like time had passed lifetimes.

Upon reflection, it was indeed so.

Su Zhen felt both familiar and strange.

On one hand, she wanted to punch him because he was foolish enough to believe she would massacre a city.

On the other, she wanted to punch herself.

Why did she even care?

If it were Jiang Wang or Zhou Ziheng, no matter what they thought, she wouldn’t mind.

Then Su Zhen suddenly recalled the many scathing and mocking comments beneath that book’s chapters.

Such as—

“This Su girl clearly fancies Immortal Lord Yuchen; she’ll definitely make things hard for us Yao Yao later! When will she log off? Just hurry up and die!”

“That sword was originally Yuchen’s. The original owner wants it back; how dare she have the audacity to keep it!”

“Could it be that she won it in a competition?”

“Could it be that Yuchen donated it to the sect? That’s why it’s a prize? Wasn’t that sword originally his?”

“Ridiculous, you said it was donated—can you just take back donations you gave to disaster zones?”

“Su’s just shameless; he has no feelings for her, yet she deludes herself into thinking she’s special!”

These comments flashed by quickly; some words were unfamiliar but their meanings were roughly clear.

Su Zhen never thought she was special.

Before Liu Yunyao appeared, the master taught every disciple with equal care.

Whether Su Zhen, Jiang Wang, or the two fallen senior brothers and sisters, he answered all questions openly, forged or selected magical treasures for them, never showing favoritism.

Su Zhen knew her talent surpassed her senior brother’s; even among the many geniuses around her, she was superior.

Yet her master never treated her differently. He was good to her as he was to others.

Always so.

As for other feelings, Su Zhen could hardly say what exactly she wanted from him or felt toward him.

Perhaps a bit of everything.

Lowering her gaze, she avoided looking at the high platform.

She feared losing control and charging up to hit someone.

Mainly because she couldn’t win.

If she could, it wouldn’t matter.

The sect leader’s speech concluded, and the hall emptied in orderly fashion.

The Cloudstorm Peak disciples also began to move.

Only after leaving the Brightheart Hall did people start whispering, mostly about Immortal Lord Chaohua.

“…Even so, such a handsome cultivator is quite rare,” someone remarked with admiration. “But he looks a bit scary.”

“Scary?” a nearby disciple echoed. “A bit? He looks fiercer than my master! My master scared the junior brother to tears several times; he even had nightmares where he screamed.”

“I heard that during his time training in the sect, he had a bad temper, often quarreling and resorting to violence.”

“Ah? I heard he rarely appeared, and others only knew that Jingyang Immortal Lord had a junior disciple. Few have seen him. Where does this constant fighting story come from?”

“Come on, that was many years ago. Rumors are just rumors; don’t take them seriously.”

“But he never took disciples before, that’s true. This time returning to the mountain, he’s probably looking for an heir, right?”

The surrounding area fell silent.

Those who came to the Brightheart Hall were all direct disciples of the elder seats. Unless something major happened, changing allegiances was nearly impossible.

“I wonder who’ll be so lucky…”

“Uh, is it really luck?”

“Never mind his temper. Even if he’s a living devil, with his divine powers, any disciple who learns one-tenth would be fortunate.”

“That’s true—if they manage to survive.”

“That shouldn’t be too difficult…”

They whispered cautiously, unwilling to speak too loudly since Immortal Lord Chaohua was inside the hall. If he wanted to know what was said, it would be effortless.

Still, many thought he wouldn’t bother listening to the chatter of juniors.

The Cloudstorm Peak disciples chattered all the way down the hall’s steps until Zhou Ziheng muttered, “Where’s the junior sister? Didn’t the master bring her?”

Several elders’ disciples nearby asked with concern, “Is Senior Sister Liu sick again?”

Jiang Wang remained silent, but a trace of worry flickered across his brows.

Su Zhen, thinking of last night’s events, couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Bring her along? That was just talk.”

Immortal Lord Yuchen knew the junior disciple was a half-demon. He was not close with Xiao Yu and didn’t know Xiao Yu’s attitude toward demons, so he didn’t dare casually bring Liu Yunyao.

He cast multiple secret spells on her to suppress the demonic aura.

Below the quasi-Saint realm, identifying Liu Yunyao’s bloodline would require some connection to demons or a fellow demonic cultivator because they could draw on powers sharing the same demonic source.

Like her in a past life.

Such people were nearly non-existent in the sect.

Even so, as long as one’s cultivation was lower than Immortal Lord Yuchen’s, breaking those secret spells and exposing Liu Yunyao’s identity was very difficult.

However—

For a Saint realm expert like Immortal Lord Chaohua, quasi-Saint spells wouldn’t deceive him. Having fought in the Demon Realm in his youth, he was certainly familiar with demons and could see through Liu Yunyao’s identity at a glance.

If he loathed demons, he might kill Liu Yunyao on sight.

Immortal Lord Yuchen couldn’t stop him and naturally wouldn’t risk it.

For an Immortal Lord, killing a half-demon was a matter of personal will.

Even if killed, outsiders wouldn’t think it wrong.

Su Zhen thought bitterly that many felt she deserved death merely for her demonic cultivation, regardless of whether she had massacred a city.

“Fourth junior sister,” Jiang Wang suddenly spoke lightly, “the master wants us to return to Cloudstorm Peak to see him.”

Zhou Ziheng sneered, clearly not summoned.

Su Zhen nodded indifferently, bidding farewell to the others and flying back with her senior brother.

The First Seat’s courtyard was shielded by multiple protective formations, the safest place on Cloudstorm Peak.

Besides her residence, it was the place Su Zhen knew best.

The courtyard was lush with green bamboo and trees, adorned with rare stones and a colorful flowerbed like woven brocade, filled with various precious spirit plants thriving under the formation’s protection through all seasons.

Su Zhen withdrew her gaze with mixed feelings.

Some plants were delicate, others vigorous. Though they didn’t require daily care, the formations had to be maintained regularly, growth monitored, and spiritual energy adjusted in soil and water.

Since she established her foundation, such tasks had been her responsibility.

Su Zhen quickened her pace, passing through a willow-shaded path and entering the elegantly arranged main hall.

A young man dressed in ivory-white brocade robes sat at the head.

Beside him stood a youthful cultivator.

She was pretty and lively, with fair skin, bright eyes, and a spirited glance.

She wore a long dress in a shade reminiscent of Xiangfei, made from exquisite brocade embroidered with intricate cloud patterns and fine silver threads shimmering through the layered, gauzy skirt.

Su Zhen recognized it as an expensive magical garment.

Even many Nascent Soul realm cultivators’ sword techniques might not easily damage it.

Su Zhen followed a few steps behind, watching Jiang Wang enter first and salute.

Only then did she enter, suppressing impatience, offering a perfunctory bow.

“Master.”

The pink-robed girl turned, smiling brightly and bowed cheerfully.

“Fourth senior sister, senior brother.”

Su Zhen’s expression remained unchanged.

“Junior sister.”

She casually glanced toward the man in the center of the hall.

Immortal Lord Yuchen often wore white and was taciturn. Now, sitting beside Jiang Wang—one seated, one standing—they seemed somewhat similar.

But their personalities were vastly different.

Jiang Wang was stern, rigid, and unsociable, devoted solely to the sword path—at least before Liu Yunyao’s arrival.

Immortal Lord Yuchen was not so.

His delicate, picturesque face was always veiled by lingering melancholy and sorrow, radiating a cold and distant aura.

His clear, stark black-and-white eyes seemed to hold many secrets and countless stories he would never tell others.

Su Zhen met his gaze briefly, recalling the book’s descriptions; the feelings stirred quickly faded.

“Master called me over?”

Su Zhen asked, “What is it?”

Immortal Lord Yuchen regarded her thoughtfully.

Compared to his stance in the Brightheart Hall, he seemed more relaxed now but still sat upright, perfectly composed.

His expression was calm, like a still lake, with only his dark, clear eyes briefly rippling before settling again.

Su Zhen suddenly realized that perhaps the wave in his eyes was because he had just been looking at Liu Yunyao; when he looked at her, his gaze returned to stillness.

Whatever.

She already knew this.

“Zhen’er.”

Immortal Lord Yuchen suddenly spoke.

Su Zhen was slightly startled.

She recalled many years later, when they had many arguments ending with cold words—he would call her Su Xianjun icily, and she would greet him with a fake smile as Immortal Lord.

But none of that mattered anymore; now, she mostly felt annoyance. Beyond wanting to stay away, her resentment and grudges had lessened and might soon vanish completely.

“…What instructions, Master?”

She shook off the cluttered thoughts, guessing he might want to ask about Immortal Lord Chaohua, since they had exchanged glances recently in the Brightheart Hall.

Wait.

Was that really exchanging glances?

She had only looked at him twice; he had been the one smiling foolishly and waving.

Su Zhen wasn’t sure how much Immortal Lord Yuchen had seen. Even if he knew everything, if he were to reprimand her for last night’s rudeness, she felt it wasn’t her fault.

Mistaking the spiritual pressure was understandable.

Not to mention that even a Saint realm Immortal Lord, for her current cultivation, any high-level expert below the Seventh Realm could hide their spiritual pressure from her.

And even if not deliberately concealed, lower Seventh Realm cultivators might not detect their true realm.

Immortal Lord Yuchen softly said, “You came last night?”

Su Zhen was somewhat surprised, “Yes.”

Since he asked, he must have sensed her, so there was no need to deny it.

Immortal Lord Yuchen glanced at her again, probably surprised at her usual reticence.

Su Zhen thought he would ask why she came.

Instead, he calmly asked, “You have residual demonic energy. Did you go to the Demon Realm earlier?”

Su Zhen nodded, “Yes.”

According to sect rules, Seventh Realm and below cultivators must report to their master or First Seat before traveling to other realms, so it was normal for him to inquire.

She studied his expression, sure he only knew she came last night and was unaware that Immortal Lord Chaohua was also there.

Considering their cultivation gap, if the latter didn’t want him to know, Immortal Lord Yuchen would not sense that senior uncle’s presence.

“Why?”

“After advancing in cultivation, I felt restless,” Su Zhen answered casually, “Went looking for a fight. Any other questions?”

Jiang Wang frowned slightly, apparently displeased with her casual tone, about to scold her.

Su Zhen inwardly sneered. She knew Immortal Lord Yuchen was someone who didn’t fuss over etiquette or care much about face. Otherwise, he wouldn’t openly demand magical treasures from his disciples.

In their past life, they had argued fiercely, using every insult but never actually fighting.

Now she was too lazy to pretend. Whether she spoke respectfully or not, he wouldn’t care.

Immortal Lord Yuchen glanced at her again, “Is that all?”

“Oh, one more thing.”

Su Zhen’s expression remained unchanged. “Cutting to the chase, I took a Jade Essence Crystal Herb and gave it to your senior uncle.”

The hall fell so silent one could hear a pin drop.

Liu Yunyao inhaled softly, shocked; Jiang Wang seemed calm but showed surprise in his eyes.

Immortal Lord Yuchen was silent for a moment, then asked, “Which one of my senior uncles?”