Just as the Spiritual Control Sect was about to negotiate the price, Su Qi suddenly collapsed.

Her collapse didn’t bother the others much.

But behind them, a whole group of the already heavily injured Spirit Beasts fainted on the spot.

’What if this powerhouse blames us for her fall? That’s a death sentence!’

’What if Chaos comes out again?’

’We’ll all be wiped out for sure.’

The people from the Spiritual Control Sect: "..."

’These Spirit Beasts obviously aren’t weak. Why would they faint just because someone fell over?’

’Fortunately, they only fainted. The losses would have been enormous if they’d died.’

Just then, Zi Feng said, "We’re running out of time. If we drag this out, someone will show up. If you’re not buying, I’m killing them all and leaving right now."

Zi Feng wasn’t joking. He could sense that someone was indeed on their way, and their arrival would be deadly.

The people from the Spiritual Control Sect weren’t fools. A middle-aged man with the highest Cultivation spoke up, "We’ll buy them all, and we’ll offer a very good price. But you have to help us move them out."

Jingyue immediately nodded. "No problem. I know a secret exit. Let’s go, right now."

Zi Feng then walked over, and with a wave of his hand, all the Spirit Beasts surged into his sleeve.

The sight left the others completely stunned.

The man from the Spiritual Control Sect was even more shocked. "Sleeve Universe? How could a Tier Five cultivator possibly learn such a Divine Ability?"

Lan Yue glanced back and answered for Zi Feng, "He’s already Tier Five. Have you never had a fortuitous encounter or two? How can you even call yourselves cultivators if you haven’t?"

Everyone: "..."

Zi Feng said, "Let’s hurry. My sleeve can’t hold them for long."

No one hesitated. They quickly gathered themselves and followed Jingyue toward the exit.

******

「On the peak of the Celestial Cloud Mountain Range」

"Was it your people who ruined our plans?" the cold Demon Cultivator asked.

His voice was utterly cold, betraying none of his thoughts.

Jian Shisan, however, replied nonchalantly, "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

The cold Demon Cultivator stood up. "Stop pretending. If it wasn’t your people, why would you be here? You’re here to ensure their safety.

You’re simply worried we would find out and retaliate.

Besides, does a place like this really require your Saintess to come in person?

Do you expect us to believe you have no objective here?"

He had just received news that the plan had failed—a complete and utter failure.

It failed without any warning.

There was no time to prepare, no chance even to implement their backup plans.

"I don’t know how your people managed it, but we want Chaos. I refuse to believe it’s dead. Hand it over, or none of you will leave the Celestial Cloud Mountain Range," the cold Demon Cultivator demanded.

Hearing this, Jian Shisan suddenly laughed. With utter contempt, he said, "You?"

In that instant, Jian Shisan’s aura became overwhelmingly domineering, and his Sword Intent surged to the heavens.

A longsword materialized, stretching across the sky.

"Go on, say that again. What makes you think you can keep me here?"

Outside the Celestial Cloud Mountain Range, an old man sighed. "As expected. Jian Shisan is no ordinary Tier Seven Daoist. He already has one foot in the Inquiry realm. Leng Qi has lost."

At Demon Cultivator Mo Yan’s home—the mountain peak where Master Mo Yan resided—Master Mo Yan also sighed. "The old geezers in the back didn’t make a peep, yet this Leng Qi fellow was so eager to step up. Too bad Jian Shisan is not someone to be trifled with.

This Jian Shisan never really had much of a reputation before, though. He’s shot to fame in a single day."

"Are you his match?" asked Elder Chen.

"That depends on the circumstances. Under normal conditions, I’m no match for him. As for special conditions... hmm, those special conditions are unlikely to ever occur."

"And you wouldn’t want them to, would you?"

"Of course not. But, old man, you know too much. I might have to silence you."

******

Leng Qi stared at Jian Shisan. He knew Jian Shisan was even more powerful than he had anticipated, but retreat was not an option.

’Besides, it’s not a complete stomp. Who can predict the final outcome of a battle?’

’I might just have a fighting chance.’

’I might not lose.’

In the next instant, the temperature plummeted. The summer heat vanished, replaced by the bitter cold of winter.

Thick flakes of snow even began to fall from the sky.

In the next moment, sword light and frosty energy began to clash.

Down at the base of Celestial Cloud Mountain, a door suddenly materialized beside a vast lake. A group of five people stepped out from it.

These five were, of course, Jiang Zuo and his group.

Jiang Zuo was the first to step out. The moment he did, he felt a biting chill.

He then looked up toward the sky.

Ximen Chuihuo and the others quickly emerged as well.

The moment she was out, Ximen Linglong shivered. "Brrr, it’s so cold! Why did the weather change all of a sudden?"

"Tier Seven Daoists are fighting up there," Jiang Zuo stated plainly.

The others subconsciously looked up. But that one glance was enough to temporarily blind Ximen Linglong, and she nearly fainted.

They were too close, and she almost couldn’t bear the strain.

It took her a long moment to recover.

"You can’t withstand it." The sky was currently filled with surging Sword Intent and swirling snow; it was already a miracle the effects weren’t spilling over to the ground below.

Trying to watch the battle itself would be suicidal.

Unless one was far enough away.

Ximen Chuihuo quickly summoned a giant Spirit Beast. It was completely covered in fur, making it look just like a ball.

It would definitely be comfortable to lie on.

And Ximen Chuihuo did just that, placing Ximen Linglong on top of it.

He didn’t dare look up again. "Fellow Daoist," he asked, "what was that just now?"

"You’ve all been to the Holy Land, right? These are just traces of the Dao. It’s nothing serious.

Activate your Concealment. Someone’s about to come out," Jiang Zuo said.

’Jingyue is probably about to emerge. I can sense it without even needing to use divination.’

’The Array here is starting to activate again.’

This time, however, Jiang Zuo was hiding behind the large Spirit Beast, so he wasn’t worried about being discovered.

"Oh, and don’t give us away," Jiang Zuo added.

Just then, Li Ya asked curiously, "Why can none of us watch, but you can keep looking the whole time?"

"It’s just the Entering Dao realm," was all Jiang Zuo said.

Everyone was speechless. ’Couldn’t this guy be a little more modest?’

’Is he not afraid of biting his own tongue?’

Zhong Yiyang asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you know who’s fighting up there?"

"Holy Land Jian Shisan and some Demon Cultivator I don’t recognize."

"So, who’s going to win?"

Without even turning his head, Jiang Zuo replied, "Jian Shisan has already won. These people are nothing more than stepping stones for him. They aren’t even qualified to be his opponents."

’Jiang Zuo never believed Jian Shisan could lose. As long as he wasn’t being suppressed by someone in a much higher Realm, Jian Shisan could win no matter how difficult the battle.’

’In this entire world, Jian Shisan was the only one who could withstand three of my attacks while at a lower Realm than me.’

’When Jiu Xi was at the same Realm Jian Shisan was, she couldn’t even take a single one of my attacks.’

Jiang Zuo sighed. ’Even now, thinking of Jiu Xi fills me with disgust... and yet, I find myself wanting to hold her. I’m going crazy. Absolutely insane.’

Just then, the door by the lake opened once again.

"Why do I get the feeling this has been opened once already? We should be careful; someone got here before us. Huh? Why is it snowing?" Jingyue exclaimed in surprise the moment she stepped out.

Then, Jiang Zuo saw Su Qi.

She was being led by Qing Lian, and she had sustained even more injuries.