The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"Your son greets Father."

"Your son greets Father."

"Your son greets Father."

Dressed in a simple white gown and carrying a sword at her waist, Baili Moxue entered the Imperial Study under the guidance of the palace eunuch. She stepped forward and offered a respectful bow to Baili Xi, who was seated at the desk reviewing memorials.

"Moxue, it has been many years since we last met. How have you fared in the Yun family all this time?"

Upon seeing his daughter return to the palace, Baili Xi quickly set the memorials aside and stood to greet her with a warm smile.

"Thank you for your concern, Father. All has been well within the family. However…"

Baili Moxue smiled gently, but the mention of Yun Yantian's death caused her expression to grow somber.

"Yantian… I have already heard. You have suffered greatly."

Noticing the grief in his daughter's eyes, Baili Xi sighed deeply and pulled her into a comforting embrace.

"And that rascal, Zhan'er—how is he? Why didn't you bring him back to see me this time?"

"Zhan'er is doing well. He has been diligently cultivating within the family.

As for my return, Father, it is to seek your permission for something. I wish to enter Wanlong Mountain."

Baili Moxue answered his question before explaining the purpose of her visit.

"Wanlong Mountain? For what purpose?"

Baili Xi's brows furrowed in surprise.

"To seek the Life and Death Cicada!"

"The Life and Death Cicada? What is that?"

"Father, please allow me to explain in detail."

Baili Moxue's voice softened as she recounted the tale of the Life and Death Cicada, an immortal artifact capable of bringing the dead back to life. She spared no detail, carefully conveying the significance of the discovery while urging her father to keep it a closely guarded secret.

"Hiss…"

When Baili Xi finally understood the full story, he couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. His expression was one of utter shock.

Though he was the Emperor of Yue and a cultivator of no small skill in the Qi Refining Realm, it was his first time hearing of such a heaven-defying artifact.

"No wonder Wang Liyuan was able to return from the dead. To think… this boy actually stumbled upon such an extraordinary immortal fortune within Wanlong Mountain."

It took him a moment to process what he had heard, and when he did, his voice was filled with wonder.

To encounter such a miracle was beyond belief. The fact that Wang Liyuan—a youth of tremendous fortune—had been annihilated despite his gifts only reinforced the Emperor's lingering fear. Given enough time, that boy might have surpassed even Wang Qingshan.

Had he been allowed to grow, the Wang family could have produced the greatest ancestor in their history, one even the royal family might not have been able to control.

"And so, I wish to enter the mountain, Father, to see if I can grasp this immortal fortune and save Yantian's life."

Seeing her father lost in thought, Baili Moxue's tone turned resolute.

In her life, there was only Yun Yantian.

Now, with even the faintest chance of restoring him to life, she could not afford to let it slip away—no matter how slim the hope or how dangerous the path ahead.

"Such a heaven-defying artifact… encountering it once is already a miracle. To expect a second chance may be asking too much.

Moxue, you must prepare yourself for the possibility of failure."

Baili Xi's tone was gentle but firm. He feared that should his daughter fail to obtain the Life and Death Cicada, the disappointment might crush her spirit. He urged her not to place too much hope on a chance so rare it bordered on the impossible.

"Your son understands."

"Very well. I will instruct Master Li and his men to escort you and Lady Yanshuang into the mountain.

Remember, once inside, proceed with caution. Do not force the matter if you cannot find the artifact.

Should you encounter danger, send a signal immediately. Master Li will activate the teleportation array to bring you back safely."

Knowing his daughter's determination, Baili Xi realized that no amount of persuasion would dissuade her. Thus, he resolved to let her try.

"Master Li."

"Master Li."

"Master Li."

After giving his daughter a few more words of advice, Baili Xi called toward the door.

The study door opened, and Li Qing entered, bowing respectfully. "Your Majesty, how may I serve you?"

"Escort the Seventh Princess and Lady Yanshuang to Wanlong Mountain. Prepare the protective barrier and activate the teleportation array to assist their entry."

"At once, Your Majesty."

Beyond the protective barrier of Wanlong Mountain, preparations began.

"Seventh Princess, Shuang'er, remember to exercise utmost caution in the mountain. Should you encounter any danger, send a signal immediately to alert us," Li Qing instructed with a solemn tone as he stood before the teleportation array.

"Thank you, Master Li, and all of you, for your assistance," Baili Moxue replied, cupping her hands respectfully alongside Yun Yanshuang and Yun Wenxuan.

Li Qing, Rain Immortal, Master Lu, and Master Tu responded with warm smiles before dispersing to the four cardinal points around the array. With synchronized movements, they activated their hand seals, causing the teleportation array to flare to life.

A radiant divine light shot skyward, enveloping the three figures within its brilliance.

When the light dissipated, Baili Moxue, Yun Yanshuang, and Yun Wenxuan had vanished without a trace.

"They've entered. Let's go," Li Qing said, leading the four immortals away from the array.

Moments after their departure, a cloaked figure emerged silently from the shadows—it was Yun Yanshui.

Having concealed himself earlier, he had carefully observed and memorized the incantations and techniques used to activate the teleportation array. Once the immortals left, he stepped forward, channeled his spiritual energy, and began operating the array.

Once more, the divine light surged upward, enveloping Yun Yanshui.

"Who dares trespass upon the Imperial Wanlong Mountain?!"

The moment the divine light wrapped around Yun Yanshui, a thunderous shout resounded.

It was Li Qing and the other three immortals, who had sensed the disturbance and returned swiftly.

They arrived at the array with blinding speed, unleashing their combined mystical techniques to strike down the intruder.

"Disperse!"

Unwilling to clash with the four immortals, Yun Yanshui's body surged with the power of his Yin-Yang pattern. With a flick of his sleeve, the ferocious energies of the "Solar Wheel" and "Lunar Ascent" erupted like tidal waves, blasting the four immortals back dozens of meters.

By the time Li Qing and the others steadied themselves, the teleportation array had completed its cycle. The divine light faded, taking Yun Yanshui with it.

"That man's cultivation… astonishing!"

Rain Immortal, her face pale, looked at the now-empty array with a mix of shock and awe.

"The essence he wielded—'Solar Wheel' and 'Lunar Ascent'—these energies are unique to the Yun family's cultivation techniques. Could he be one of their own?"

Master Tu's brows furrowed as he tried to piece together the identity of the cloaked figure.

"Impossible. Among the Yun family, Shuang'er is the strongest. There's no one else with such profound abilities," Li Qing countered firmly.

"Besides, cultivation techniques are vast and varied across the land. It's not certain that only the Yun family possesses methods to absorb 'Solar Wheel' and 'Lunar Ascent.' That man may be an unknown rogue cultivator from elsewhere.

What puzzles me is his purpose for entering Wanlong Mountain."

Master Lu, clutching his horsetail whisk, voiced his confusion.

"Master Tu, come with me into the mountain," Li Qing decided after a moment of thought.

"Master Li, you suspect…"

"I fear that man is targeting the Seventh Princess and her companions. If so, their abilities will not be enough to withstand him."

"Understood!"

"Rain Immortal, Master Lu, I'll leave you two to guard the barrier and provide support if needed."

After exchanging a few final words, Li Qing and Master Tu stepped into the teleportation array. As divine light enveloped them, their figures vanished into the mountain's depths.

Within Wanlong Mountain, a chilling wind howled, and the atmosphere was thick with malevolent energy.

Baili Moxue, Yun Yanshuang, and Yun Wenxuan had just arrived when they were immediately attacked by lurking fiends that surged toward them, snarling and snapping with hunger.

Fortunately, the three were no strangers to combat. Combining their strengths, they swiftly dispatched the weaker entities, silencing the chaos around them.

As calm returned to the eerie forest, Baili Moxue turned to Yun Yanshuang.

"Shuang'er, do you know the exact location where Wang Liyuan found the Life and Death Cicada?"

"Sister-in-law, let me summon the White-Clad Ghost and ask."

Yun Yanshuang reached for the black gourd tied at her waist. Removing its stopper, she allowed a thin wisp of pale, spectral smoke to drift out.

The smoke slowly coalesced into the form of a ghostly woman clad in white, her expression sorrowful yet serene.

It was the same spirit that had once possessed Wang Liyuan.