In front of the main hall of the Shengyuan Sect on Shengyuan Peak, a man in a white robe stood on the square, his gaze fixed on a swiftly approaching spiritual light in the distance.
"Senior Brother, you have indeed emerged from seclusion," a figure said as they rapidly approached from afar with the sky just beginning to brighten. Stopping before the white-robed man, they immediately bowed respectfully.
The newcomer was Li Xuan.
"Younger Brother, where do you hail from?" He Xiuzhu asked Li Xuan curiously.
"Senior Brother, I seek your assistance with a matter," Li Xuan said after taking a deep breath to calm himself.
He Xiuzhu frowned slightly upon hearing this, then nodded and said, "Between us as fellow disciples, there is no need for such formality. Speak, what is it?"
"This matter concerns the Sheng Clan," Li Xuan stated, and then proceeded to explain what he knew about the Sheng Clan's control over the Eternal Continent and the incident involving Yue Fuyao.
"No wonder you left Shengyuan Sect immediately after your breakthrough, Youngest Brother. So you were out adventuring. But if I understand you correctly, you intend to act against the Sage Elder of the Sheng Clan?" He Xiuzhu asked.
"Senior Brother, if Fuyao is taken to the Sheng Clan, her situation will be extremely perilous. Moreover, I am deeply worried, which is why I must intercept her along the way. However, with my current strength, dealing with that Sage Elder will be difficult," Li Xuan nodded in agreement.
"I understand your meaning. Rest assured, as your Senior Brother, I will certainly help with your sister-in-law's safety. However, we may have to wait a little longer. Your Sixth Brother is in the final stages of his breakthrough. Once he succeeds, we will depart together," He Xiuzhu said with a smile.
"Sixth Brother is also breaking through?" Li Xuan exclaimed with surprise. If that were the case, had the other Senior Brothers and Sisters also broken through to the Immortal Realm? With such strength, they could likely sweep aside any force on the Eternal Continent.
"Indeed. Your other Senior Brothers and Sisters are currently protecting your Sixth Brother during his breakthrough, and they should emerge soon. Furthermore, Elder Shan has sent me a message, requesting that we go and resolve the troubles on the Eternal Continent. Now that you are back, we don't need to search for you," He Xiuzhu nodded.
"Senior Brother, where is Elder Shan currently?" Li Xuan asked.
He Xiuzhu frowned and shook his head, saying, "I do not know Elder Shan's current whereabouts. However, from his message, I can vaguely surmise that his situation is not entirely favorable."
"But if we can quell the unrest on the Eternal Continent, it will alleviate some of Elder Shan's pressure. Therefore, we must be fully prepared for this undertaking."
"Understood," Li Xuan nodded. Although he felt a pang of regret for not being able to see Elder Shan Wu Shuang personally, receiving news from Elder Shan was still a positive development.
Time gradually passed, and two hours slipped by as Li Xuan and He Xiuzhu chatted. Only half an hour remained until noon.
Li Xuan looked up at the blazing sun in the sky, a hint of anxiety appearing on his face.
"Youngest Brother, do not worry," He Xiuzhu said, sensing Li Xuan's tension, and patted his shoulder with a slight smile. His gaze then shifted, focusing on the void.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
As his gaze fell, several sounds of objects piercing the air were heard. Five figures appeared before He Xiuzhu and Li Xuan – Li Xuan's Senior Brothers and Sisters.
"Haha, Sixth Brother, do you believe it now? Youngest Brother broke through to the Immortal Realm before you. Well, a bet is a bet. You owe me ten years of wine money!" Wen Boya said, nodding at He Xiuzhu before turning to Wang Kun with a laugh.
"Alright, alright, a bet is a bet. My dear Younger Brother, you are making me, your Senior Brother, feel quite inadequate. I never expected that among the seven of us, I, your Senior Brother, would be the last to break through to the Immortal Realm. Sigh, I should not have made that bet with Second Brother back then," Wang Kun said with a dejected expression. However, he then stepped forward and hugged Li Xuan with a smile, "But the better you perform, Youngest Brother, the happier I am. One day in the future, you must protect me."
"Alright, let's not reminisce for now. Youngest Brother has matters to discuss, and Elder Shan has also sent me a message. Since everyone is here, we can talk as we go. Otherwise, our sister-in-law may be in danger," He Xiuzhu interrupted their chatter with a wave of his hand, his expression growing solemn. Wen Boya and the others immediately straightened their faces and nodded.
Hum.
As seven beams of spiritual light flashed, He Xiuzhu and Li Xuan, along with the other five, vanished.
...
In Fenghou Valley, within a canyon, seven figures slowly materialized. These seven were, of course, Li Xuan, He Xiuzhu, and their fellow disciples.
"Senior Brother, why did you choose this location?" Li Xuan glanced around, puzzled as to why He Xiuzhu had stopped here.
"Youngest Brother, this is the closest point that the Yue Clan and Sheng Clan must pass through. If we are to intercept and rescue our sister-in-law, this is an ideal spot. Furthermore, there are no forces or cities within a hundred-mile radius, making it an excellent place for a battle," Wen Boya explained with a smile before He Xiuzhu could speak.
A look of realization dawned in Li Xuan's eyes. He then activated his spiritual sense to survey the surroundings and indeed found it to be as Wen Boya had described.
"I will handle the Sage Elder. As for the other four peak Eternal Realm cultivators, let Sixth Brother practice his skills on them," He Xiuzhu stated. "For Youngest Brother and the others, first, establish the array boundary here to prevent the Sage Elder from escaping. However, you must be cautious, as the Sage Elder is not weak, and it will be difficult to deal with him if he detects us."
"Second, everyone should be prepared to provide support. I suspect the Sheng Clan's ambitions are not small, and they likely have reinforcements," He Xiuzhu added after scanning the surroundings.
"Yes, Senior Brother," everyone responded in unison.
He Xiuzhu, now a mid-stage Immortal Realm cultivator and having spent the longest time with Elder Shan Wu Shuang, was likely as powerful as the Sage Elder. Although Wang Kun had just broken through to the Immortal Realm, he was still no match for four peak Eternal Realm cultivators. Assigning the task to Wang Kun was primarily for him to stabilize his cultivation. Afterward, the seven figures moved in unison, vanishing into the void.
Time gradually passed. A quarter of an hour had elapsed since noon. Li Xuan, having set up the array boundary in the void, gazed towards the direction of Moon Spirit Mountain in the Yue Clan, his eyes beginning to show a trace of anxiety. After Wen Boya's explanation, Li Xuan recalled the Shengyuan map and confirmed that Fenghou Valley was indeed a mandatory route, as Wen Boya had said. However, given that Yue Fuyao's safety was at stake, Li Xuan's unease was understandable.
Another ten minutes passed. Just as Li Xuan was becoming impatient, several auras instantly entered his senses.
"They're here!"