“Hehe, honey is as popular as ever”

Wu Mengqi chuckled in a low voice and Bi Rui ruefully smiled as she was also one of the people who was weak to his appearance, thus understanding the feelings of the women around them.

The Grand Elder led them to the Main Hall, a spacious hall the windows of which oversaw the sect and the snowy valley below.

A beautiful woman sat on the throne, nodding to the Grand Elder Wen Mei who led them.

“Good work, Grand Elder Wen, and greetings, Your Highness, we are happy to welcome esteemed guests in our halls”

She spoke in a calm and dignified tone of voice, not lowering herself and yet not acting as someone above.

“Greetings, Sect Master Qiu Yilao. I wanted to extend my gratitude for agreeing to help with my daughter’s health”

Song Minfu smiled but the Sect Master shook her head.

“We could not help her in the end, which leaves us ashamed. But we are happy to have received news that there is a possibility of Her Highness being cured”

Qiu Yilao shook her head, and then looked at Wu Long. The latter smiled, nodding to the Sect Master causing the the three Grand Elders to slightly frown. Her gaze then turned to Sui Luxiao, becoming colder.

“It has been a long time, Sect Master Qiu”

“Time passes slowly in these cold mountains, Miss Sui. It may have been a long time for you but this sect has not seen much change”

Qiu Yilao spoke in a clear voice at Sui Luxiao who became slightly uncomfortable under her gaze. There were three other Grand Elders who looked at the former disciple with cold gazes as well.

“I understand, Sect Master Qiu, time always flows differently for everyone. I just wanted to give her greetings before becoming a disciple of the Yin Yang Unity Palace”

Wu Long smiled as Sui Luxiao replied in a clear and calm voice, while Wu Mengqi held back the urge to show her tongue to the Sect Master of the Frozen Garden Palace.

Qiu Yilao raised her eyebrows while the three Grand Elders besides Wen Mei expressed outright disdain.

“The Sect of the Great Seductress? … No, it does not matter. It does not concern us anymore”

She first wanted to say something, but then shook her head with a sigh, prompting Sui Luxiao to silently cup her hands.

As Wu Mengqi frowned and wanted to say something, Wu Long took her hand, stopping her. She looked at him with wide eyes but held in her words, agreeing that it was Sui Luxiao’s matter and therefore her prerogative on how to deal with it. This gesture did not escape the eyes of people in the room, as a plethora of reactions appeared in the eyes of the observers.

The Crown Prince exchanged some more pleasantries with the Sect Master, and during their conversation, a beautiful young woman with dark blue hair and ice-cold turquoise eyes walked in.

“Greetings Your Imperial Highnesses, esteemed guests”

The beauty greeted the guests with a bow during a pause in the conversation that her appearance caused, her beautiful face not showing any emotions.

“Fairy Xue Bing, it is a great pleasure to see you again”

“I feel fortunate to have met Your Highness, and am honored to be remembered”

Song Lingfei smiled at the emotionless beauty who replied with warm words, spoken with a voice devoid of any fluctuations. Xue Bing’s eyes then moved to Wu Long, who looked back with a carefree smile.

Her eyes reflected him for a moment before moving further to the exceptionally beautiful women by his side. There was no reaction in her expression or her gaze, as they remained steady from the moment she appeared.

‘Wow, no reaction to honey’s looks at all, how unusual’

Wu Mengqi, who was used to see at the very least a minor surprise in the women who saw Wu Long for the first time, slightly widened her eyes. She looked at him with a slight smile to which he inwardly chuckled and shook his head.

“Prime Disciple Xue, greet your senior, this is Sui Luxiao, she was…”

“There is no need for her to greet someone who is not part of the sect as a senior, Grand Elder Wen”

As Wen Mei started introducing Sui Luxiao who left the sect before Xue Bing’s time, another Grand Elder cut her off with a slightly icy voice.

“But…”

“Enough, Grand Elder Wen. Grand Elder Qu is correct, as someone who left the sect has no standing among the junior generation”

Qiu Yilao intervened as she saw that this could turn into an argument before their guests, an unsightly scene in her view.

“As Sect Master wills”

Wen Mei lowered her head, suppressed by the surrounding Grand Elders and the Sect Master. As Wu Mengqi’s temper was about to explode again Wu Long’s hand holding hers very slightly tightened and relaxed.

‘Honey is unusually calm’

She thought as she looked at his expression which was carefree and smiling. She knew very well how seriously he took it when someone hurt or disrespected his women, even if it was just words, so this situation seemed odd to her. A suspicion started forming in her as she realized that there was a deeper meaning behind the events unfolding around them.

Bi Rui frowned at this as well, but held her urges to speak up as she also noticed Wu Long’s reaction, while Yu Huan’s gaze became slightly melancholic, as she was sympathetic to Sui Luxiao.

The one in question, on the other hand, slightly shook at the Sect Master’s words, but did not show any other reaction, remaining calm and collected. While she was able to restrain the proud and haughty air she had as a leader of a large merchant organization to show respect to the sect, she was nevertheless not someone who wore their emotions on the outside.

“My apologies for being late to greet you all, I have been delayed by preparations for the Winter Forest Hunt”

Xue Bing then spoke again. Her address included everyone, tacitly acknowledging Sui Luxiao as well. Wu Long’s eyes shone with a glint of interest at the end of her sentence while Song Minfu laughed as he remembered something.

“Hahaha, I see, I see. It was that time already. No need to apologize, Fairy Xue Bing. It is an important event after all”

The Crown Prince shook his head at his forgetfulness, caused by being too focused on his daughter’s recovery, and noticing interested expressions in the people around him, looked to the Sect Master of the Frozen Garden Palace, seemingly seeking permission. As he saw a slight nod, he smiled again turning to the group he came with.

“Every decade, the Five Great Sects gather for a meeting. The place of the gathering is different each time, but before that, they send their new generation of disciples to the Frozen Garden Palace for an event called the Winter Forest Hunt”

He explained with a smile, as Song Lingfei widened her eyes since this was the first time she heard about this.

“Our Spiritual Land is very vast, as are all of the Five Great Sects, but it has one significant difference. Deep within, there is a valley called the Winter Forest, a tide of Demonic Beasts is born in its depths each decade, coinciding with the year we meet, so it has become a custom to send the outstanding members of the younger generation of disciples to the hunt”

Sect Master added to the Crown Prince’s explanation.

‘I see, so this is why Sect Master Fan Shuei was initially reluctant to let Fairy Gong Cui enter seclusion’

Wu Long thought to the time in the Profound Music Palace. There was still some time before the meeting of the Five Great Sects, but it seems what Fan Shuei was preparing for was this event which took place months prior to the actual meeting. .𝒎

While one-on-one combat was not the strength of Music Dao Cultivators, thus pushing them to be the lowest rank of the Five Great Sects, large scale battles against a numerous but not individually powerful demonic beasts tide was something they excelled at.

It was a chance to showcase their strong side. It was also quite possible that this event did contribute to their unofficial rankings at least in part.

“Sect Master Qiu, is it possible for outsiders to participate in the event?”

Wu Long asked and Qiu Yilao raised her eyebrow.

“Hmm, each Great Sect does invite a few smaller sects to participate since the tide is quite large in scale. But I am afraid it would be difficult for the younger generation of the Yin Yang Unity Palace to participate. After all…”

She did not finish but the meaning in her words was clear, since Dual Cultivators were not considered very adept in fighting.

This opinion was not reserved to this world where Dual Cultivation was even less understood than in the Seven Boundless Worlds. As Dual Cultivators usually did not put much focus in training their battle potential.

It was true that as a pair, Dual Cultivators would be stronger than a pair of ordinary cultivators on average, but that would only be true if their basic skills were the same. And as they did not put focus in actual combat training, it was natural that they were generally considered weaker.

“Sect Master Qiu’s concern is understandable, but times do change outside of these cold mountains” 𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Wu Long smiled and the Grand Elders frowned again at Wu Long’s play on the previous words of the Sect Master.

‘Hah! Interesting. I wonder where that confidence comes from? I would understand it if he said he was the only one participating, but it seems that he is implying that the Yin Yang Unity Palace has what it takes’

Qiu Yilao raised her eyebrow as she inwardly snorted.

“Can you present ten participants of the younger generation who have reached the Qi Manifestation Realm?”

She asked with a raised eyebrow, and Wu Long smiled, nodding.

“Of course, should I take your question as an invitation to the event?”

“In that case yes, we extend our invitation”

Qiu Yilao slightly smiled back.

—

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