Outside the cave mansion, snow and wind engulfed the sky. The deeper one ventured into the Small Cold Realm, the heavier the chill became. Zhang Yan looked up towards the towering heights, sipping on his wine to stave off the cold while studying the stone-carved words on the cave walls.
This was the last cave mansion he had searched, for it was located at nearly the northernmost part of the Small Cold Realm. Those cultivators who could reach this place were often deeply accomplished in their cultivation and resolute in their Dao Heart, coming here with the determination to succeed or never return—far different from the people he had encountered before.
From a few fragmented words carved into the stone, he even discerned hints of joy and delight, revealing that someone had in the final moments successfully broken through and transcended the realm, departing freely. They had finally escaped the enigmatic threshold of life and death and returned to the light of day and moon.
Zhang Yan did not know who this sect senior was, nor how many years ago they had secluded themselves here, but he was moved by the exuberance etched into the inscriptions after breaking through the Heavenly Gate. He lifted his wine flask in a distant toast, then tilted his head back, letting a silver stream pour from the flask into his throat, transforming into a blazing wave of warmth that spread throughout his body.
The serenity of this place appealed to him, so he stayed for a few more days in the cave, organizing the gains of this journey. Counting the days by calculating with his fingers, he realized that twenty-five days had passed since entering this realm. He mused to himself, "Today should be the time for leaving this realm."
Rising to leave the cave, he opened the door to be met by the harsh, whirling cold wind and incessant falling hail. The world before him was blanketed in white, like a silver-covered canopy. Yet in the furthest north, some invisible force blocked all the wind and snow from entering. Standing there, he could feel an intense, piercing sharpness that seemed to split his skin, as if it was obstructing anyone from proceeding. Presumably, this was where the person Elder Yuan had mentioned was imprisoned.
Zhang Yan had no great curiosity to investigate further. Anyone trapped in such a place was undoubtedly a Great cultivator, far beyond his current cultivation level for him to interact with recklessly. It was better to leave promptly. After a brief glance, he called out loudly, propelled himself onto a cloud, and soared away amidst the smoky mist.
By midday, he took out the talisman Elder Yuan had given him and activated it with a slap. Golden light enveloped him, carrying him upward in a sudden leap. In an instant, he shattered the boundary of the realm, exiting it. His vision was immediately filled with a transformed world—floating white clouds, blue skies, vast seas, gentle breezes, and the radiant sun shining overhead.
Emerging from the barren desolation and the howling icy winds of the previous realm, his body and spirit felt an unexplainable relief. Raising his voice in a long cry, he shook his sleeves and flew southward.
The return journey was uneventful. Before long, he arrived back at Zhao You Heavenly Pond, activated the Array Gate, and entered the main hall. There he was greeted by Luo Xiao, who appeared to have been waiting for some time. She stepped forward to offer Wan Fu salutations and said, "I have been awaiting your return, my lord."
Zhang Yan paused in his steps, glanced at her with a faint smile, and said, "When did fellow Daoist Luo return home? Was your journey smooth?"
With a charming laugh, Luo Xiao replied, "Indeed, my lord departed not long after I had returned. The trip was smooth and uneventful, stable as could be. But there is one matter I must share with you. Mrs. Chen, being a mundane mortal, has a frail physique and cannot endure the chill of Zhao You Heavenly Pond. Thus, I made the decision to have Kun’er take his mother to settle in the Nine Cities."
Zhang Yan nodded and said, "That was a good choice. Kun’er has joined my sect, but has yet to visit the Mountain Gate. This trip can serve as an opportunity for him to take a look around."
At this, Luo Xiao chuckled softly and said, "This time Kun’er went to the Nine Cities, but an amusing incident happened there."
Zhang Yan’s interest was piqued. He asked, "What incident?"
Luo Xiao proceeded to explain the situation in detail. It turned out that on one occasion, when Tian Kun injured a Dragon Horse, he was confronted by members of the Wang Family. After some heated exchanges, they unexpectedly discovered that Tian Kun was Zhang Yan’s second disciple. The Wang Family was immediately thrown into panic.
They had originally hoped their child could join Zhang Yan’s sect, but never expected their daughter would offend one of her senior sect brothers even before entering the sect. For more chapters visıt 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
However, this wasn’t the most critical point. Rumors outside suggested that Zhang Yan had killed Wan Zhang and Wen An shortly after returning to the Mountain Gate—reportedly because the two had provoked Liu Yan Yi. This demonstrated that Zhang Yan was extremely protective of his disciples. Joining his sect came with its safeguards; his students would not be slighted. Thus, the Wang Family decided to have their daughter join Zhang Yan’s sect, not only because he had achieved First-class Elixir Formation but also for this reason. However, this realization also made them tremble with fear, causing them to shower Tian Kun and his mother with ingratiating favors.
The Wang Family’s master was a cunning old fox. It didn’t take long for him to realize that getting Mrs. Chen’s approval was the key to resolving the matter. Hence, he exerted every effort to please her. Not only did he buy mansions and land, send people and money, and meticulously arrange her settling-in, but he also suggested marrying his daughter to Tian Kun.
Mrs. Chen, while hoping her child could cultivate for immortality, felt that having a grandson early to bring joy was even better. Moreover, she considered that their daughter planned to join Zhang Yan’s sect as well, making the match a harmonious one between families. With mutual support within the sect in the future, Mrs. Chen grew increasingly fond of the idea.