On that day, wails could be heard on the snowy mountains, leaving the disciples of the Wu Family below in shock.

Two faint figures were spotted on the mountain, accompanied by rumors of something bizarre happening on the snowy mountain, completely sealing off the Great Snow Mountain!

"Esteemed Elders of the Elder Council, the Capital is currently facing numerous challenges. It is imperative that we, the elderly members of the council, personally investigate the situation!"

Hence, even the senior elders were sent to the mountain to investigate. They reported witnessing two strangers chasing a massive bear with astonishing strength, leaving the elders astonished.

What stunned the elders the most was that a highly experienced elder had long surpassed the late-stage boundary for many years. When he attempted to capture the three individuals for investigation, they either had such powerful cultivation that they could resist his techniques, or they were simply ordinary people without any cultivation talent!

It was terrifying! This undoubtedly sounded an alarm for the family, and the prohibition of entering the Tianxueshan was upgraded once again...

Wu Yan issued the latest command, rising furiously from his seat in the court.

"From now on, except for the elders and their entourage, no one is allowed to intrude upon the snowy mountain. Anyone who violates this order shall be executed!"

...

The heavenly path is vast, and the human path is boundless. Mortals aspire to become immortal, and the grand way is suspended in the heavens. Those who seek immortality fueled by desires will inevitably fall into devilry. However, those who solely focus on cultivation without desires also find it difficult to advance to the realm of true energy. The path of immortality remains elusive.

Throughout history, there have been many cultivators who, in pursuit of immortality, exhausted their vitality with empty cultivation but ultimately failed. Among them, martial practitioners have lower natural talents, and their cultivation is even more challenging compared to cultivators. The annals of the mainland have recorded numerous individuals who attained true immortality, but among the martial practitioners, there has been only one in billions of years—the last patriarch of the Dragon Clan among the Twelve Divine Races, the Nine-Jade Dragon Emperor!

The continent was once divided among thirteen races, each inhabiting their own territories. Alliances were formed and broken, leading to conflicts among the races. The human race stood above the rest due to their ability to forge their own artifacts, while other races relied on celestial blessings for cultivation. The path to immortality was already arduous, let alone reaching the level of an Immortal Emperor.

Eventually, after defeating all the divine races, twelve immortals emerged, including four Immortal Emperors. Following the Heavenly Demon War, human strength reached unprecedented levels. In several subsequent battles between immortals and demons, humans unilaterally terminated alliances, dispatching the twelve immortals to attack the territories of the Dragon Clan, Frost Horse, and other divine races.

By the end of the Heavenly Demon era, the human race had completely dominated the entire continent. Thus, the continent entered an era of desolation, with rampant decadence in every corner.

Humans had become the rulers of all beings. Among the twelve immortals of that era, the four major families—Ling, Ye, and two others—emerged as formidable superpowers on the continent, striking fear into the hearts of others!

Thus, a balance of power was established among the four powers, setting the stage for an imminent conflict in the Central Plains.

In the first year of desolation...

"Gatekeeper, I suggest sending troops to seize the Central Plains to prevent the other three gates from gaining an advantage."

"Yes, Your Majesty, the Prime Minister's words make sense. We should advance into the Central Plains to seize the initiative before Sharp Wind Pavilion and..."

From then on, the Great Snow Mountain was designated as a forbidden area of the Yanbei Three Counties, where nobody dared to trespass due to the presence of two strange individuals, possibly brothers.

Little did anyone imagine that the person who ruthlessly slaughtered the outer disciples of the Wu Family that day was in fact Wu Luotian, the branch family head wanted by the Wu Family!

Even the Grand Elder of the Wu Family intervened this time but still suffered defeat.

Since that day, peace was restored to the Central Plains, and the mountain was left in ruins, with some spiritual beasts still dwelling in a cave on the mountain.

By the campfire, Yuanhui roasted three wild chickens that had just been caught, plucked clean and now golden and crispy.

"Cluck, cluck..."

The giant bear sat behind Juxi and Yuanhui like a child, staring at the three chickens with drool dripping from its mouth, its belly already rumbling with hunger.

"I never expected Brother Wu to have such culinary skills. I thought..."

"What did you think? Did you believe cooking was only a task for women?"

With that, Yuanhui tore a piece of chicken from the cooked bird, tasted it, and then handed one to Juxi to enjoy.

"Goodness, I have never tasted anything like this before! So delicious!"

Prior to meeting Yuanhui, Juxi had been consuming simple meals at his sect. After arriving in the Capital, he had abstained from rich foods under the strict supervision of his senior sister, and his master, Ling Yizi, had even referred to it as a form of recollection.

It was a rare treat for Juxi to enjoy a hearty meal prepared by Yuanhui, who knew how to cook over a fire.

The bear sitting behind them licked its fingers, looking at Yuanhui pitifully, longing to have a bite of the roasted chicken.

Seeing Ah Lie's expression, Yuanhui smiled and shook his head, then tossed the other freshly roasted chicken to the bear.

"Don't be shy. This one is for you. Eat up!"

"Roar!"

Having caught the wild chicken, it immediately and ravenously devoured it. Yuanhui, realizing its massive size, gave it the largest one, which it swallowed in five or six bites.

Through their interactions, Yuanhui realized that Ah Lie was not a bad person; in fact, he was quite humble and straightforward, devoid of any ulterior motives.

"Hehe, take your time. Be careful not to hurt yourself, Young Master of the Ye Family."

"...Huh?"

Juxi, who had been halfway through eating the chicken, suddenly found it suspended in mid-air, almost making him freeze in place.

"What do you mean by this, Brother?"

"What do I mean...?" Yuanhui said smugly.

With a light tap on Juxi's back, Yuanhui spoke bluntly without beating around the bush.

"As far as I know, ever since the dispute over the Central Plains, the Ye Family ordered their disciples not to step a foot beyond the North Domain. When the Iron Ridge sealed its pass some years ago, rumors spread within the Shadowless Pavilion that the only one who came out was you, the Young Master of the Ye Family, who had been forcibly placed in seclusion on the mainland for many years. Quite unexpected, isn't it?"

A gust of wind suddenly swept through the cave, a white bead the size of a pearl brushing against Yuanhui's cheek, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

"Oh no, that was a close call!"

Drip!

A drop of blood grazed the bead's edge before evaporating on the ground.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you exude a fragrant scent. Seems like it's not from the women in the Capital wearing rouge and powdered faces."

Yuanhui remained silent, releasing the spirit beads in his hand each time, exuding an overwhelming aura that could reverse the river's flow. It seemed that there was the practice of Sharp Wind Pavilion hidden within them.

"Unexpectedly, Sharp Wind Pavilion and the Shadowless Pavilion resorted to such methods to counter the Wu Family of the Central Plains. I wonder whose idea this was."

"Your voice?!"

Yuanhui's voice suddenly changed, leaving Juxi perplexed.

It had morphed from a child's voice to that of an elderly man in an instant.

"Why aren't you attacking anymore? Are you two from these two pavilions so spineless after all these years?"

"What are you saying?!"

Juxi clenched his teeth and called out to the box slung around his waist.

"Long Ling, if you don't act now, I'm done for!"

"Long Ling?!"

As soon as Juxi spoke, Long Ling emerged from the box, kneeling in front of Yuanhui.

"Young Long Ling pays respects to Master Yuan!"

"Yuan... Master Yuan?!"

Yuanhui and Juxi were taken aback, questioning Long Ling about his title.

"Hahaha, what's so surprising about that? Who said there could only be one Dragon Emperor?"

Without a care in the world, the Old Celestial emerged from Yuanhui's body, looking apprehensive, and appeared before everyone.

... Isn't this Dragon Emperor too humble?

"Don't mind it. This projection is merely a remnant of my past self in front of you. Speaking of which, luckily, I cultivated not as a cultivator but formed a true body through a thousand trials!"

"True body?!"

Long Ling was astonished, as Juxi and Yuanhui, being younger, were unaware of what a true body entailed.

Long Ling went on to elaborate on the rare true body, explaining that it was a cultivation method few knew about, with very few actual practitioners. It seemed that the legend of his grandfather cultivating the true body was not just a story.

"Haha, that's right. However, the heavenly trials are not something everyone can learn. While the grand cultivators can reach the realm of Immortals, many peak-level practitioners in the late stages of no boundaries have stopped at the stage of destroying their true bodies."

During the era of the Old Celestial's existence, there was a flurry of activity among the continent's powers, abundant with Chi, and teeming with skilled individuals.

It was also an era where numerous skilled cultivators opened up a new space, with many intermediate-stage boundary practitioners aiming for that paradise. However, those at the intermediate stage of no boundaries could only lament their lack of fortune due to certain circumstances.

"That's right, it is said that there have never been practitioners at the intermediate stage of no boundaries among martial cultivators. Those who have reached the intermediate stage of no boundaries are often in the twilight of their lives."

Taking over the conversation, Juxi, who also hailed from a prestigious family, had some general knowledge of the continent's history. The Ye Family, as one of the four most prominent noble families among the human race, was well-versed in the continent's general history, but he dared not ask about other matters.

"Oh, I thought a dead swan weighed more than a live chicken. It seems that all members of the Ye Family are just as cowardly as sesame seeds, eh?"

It was strange; Yuanhui found it odd that every time he noticed Juxi, he felt a pang of pain.

For some reason, he even saw Juxi's hands clasped over his chest, causing his every deep breath and chest cavity to look terrifying.

Perhaps, there was a clash between the two energies within him!