The crystalline snowflakes fell gracefully in the world.

Xue Ying and Imperial Wind Qing Yin were both enjoying wine and listening to the Qin. Not too far away, there was a beautiful girl focusing on playing the Qin. The melody from the Qin filled the garden, and Xue Ying enjoyed it very much.

When that girl stopped playing the Qin, she smiled at Xue Ying and Imperial Wind Qing Yin.

“May I have some constructive suggestions from God Monarch Flying Snow and Third Lady?” This female Qin musician smiled.

“Every time I listen to Sister Leng play the Qin is just like being in a dream. It feels really really beautiful!” Imperial Wind Qing Yin praised. Her eyes were sparkling with joy.

Xue Ying smiled. Even though he quite liked music, he had never spent the time enjoying them. Ever since his disciple Imperial Wind Qing Yin strongly recommended this number one Qin musician in High Mountain City, ‘Leng Xin’, he immediately nodded and agreed to let this female Qin Master come play the Qin at his residence. Even though Xue Ying had been concealing his strength, he was still able to defeat Bat Mountain Master with the strength he unveiled. Hence, this ‘Leng Xin’ female Qin Master had to perform conscientiously.

When it first started, Xue Ying merely felt that it was stunning.

But after listening to it a few times, Xue Ying gradually felt that this ‘Qin Music’ had many points of similarity to his ‘Dao of Mirage and Illusory Realm’. There was the ‘Bewilderment’ branch in the Dao of Mirage and Illusory Realm that could utilize sound to execute.

‘She is indeed the number one Qin Master in High Mountain City. For her to become the top Qin Master and to be so famous, she should have reached an incredibly profound level in the Dao of Sound. Her Ancestral God Bloodline should specialize in this Dao too. Even though she is still crude in many ways she utilizes the sound, the freedom in her heart has reached a level that I can’t compare.’ Xue Ying thought.

Xue Ying comprehended two great killing techniques one after another in the Dao of Mirage and Illusory Realm. One to cause the enemies to fall into oblivion, and the other to wipe out the soul of the enemies. These two techniques were comprehended from the ‘gray eyes’ and the ‘gold eyes’. Nonetheless, Xue Ying could not fuse them perfectly together.

But after hearing to the Qin Music, he found his problem.

‘I have always known that the most innate desire of any soul is ‘freedom’. That is also the ultimate destination of the Dao of Mirage and Illusory Realm.’ Xue Ying sighed, ‘I once saw the Thousand-Eyed Water Droplet in the past and has always been doing my utmost to recall back to what I saw, and to borrow that memory in fusing both great killing techniques together. In reality, I have been too deliberate and forceful! Even though I know that ‘freedom’ is the essence of the soul, I have yet to use this core principle in fusing both great killing techniques.’

Xue Ying sighed at himself.

This was cultivation.

Even if the other party gave a cultivator the complete technique, without going through the entire bitter process of training in the technique, it was impossible for the cultivator to understand the essence of this technique.

Once he understood this point, his avatars located in both Realm Heart Great Land and his hometown Primal Chaos Void began entering closed-door cultivation. Xue Ying had a feeling that he would be able to fuse both great killing techniques for the Dao of Mirage and Illusory Realm in the near future.

…

This was also an enlightenment for his Dao of Mirage and Illusory Realm that he gained after listening to this Qin Music, making Xue Ying thankful to this female Qin Master that he frequently invited over.

“God Monarch Flying Snow hasn’t given your comments yet.” The female Qin Master turned to Xue Ying.

“Miss Leng’s Qin Music is bold and unrestrained. It gives others the feeling of comprehending the Dao.” Xue Ying hesitated for a while before deciding to pour his thoughts out, “But Miss Leng could try to collect other cultivation techniques under the Dao of Soul and learn from them. Perhaps this might be helpful to Miss Leng.”

The reason why Xue Ying chose not to say this previously is because he had been worried about forcing the other party to delve further into the Dao of Soul which might cause her to lose the original feeling of freedom. But speaking from the perspective of cultivation, it was good for the cultivator should she suffer from some bitterness and hardship.

“Sound?” The female Qin Master felt puzzled, “Music is music and sound is sound. Isn’t that the case?”

“Try comprehending it and perhaps it might help you.” Xue Ying emphasized.

“Many thanks God Monarch for your guidance.” Even though the female Qin Master felt puzzled, she still chose to listen to the guidance by this Ascendant God Monarch and find some cultivation scriptures related to sound. In the past, he had relied purely on her bloodline. She reached her current attainments in music purely by relying on utilizing his bloodline and talent.

Xue Ying nodded.

Even though he was speaking to this female Qin Master with his disciple, there were still various laws and profound mysteries emerging in his mind. Reaching his level, multi-tasking was something as simple as eating and drinking.

‘Those two seniors are able to create the Middle Stage God Emperor scriptures, <Heaven and Earth> and <Realmless>. And I am currently trying to reach the Middle Stage God Emperor Realm in my Chaotic Origin Refined Body, yet I am still met with many more questions.’ Xue Ying pondered. Currently, his Chaotic Origin Refined Body was stable at the ‘Early Stage God Emperor’ realm. He even came out with several versions that could allow his body to unleash strength at the Middle Stage God Emperor level, albeit they were not stable.

‘But cultivating in other civilizations is indeed helpful to me.’ Xue Ying understood the rationale behind why ‘Yuan’ sent them over.

Different civilizations had different laws. Like the Realm Heart Great Land and this world, both contained vastly different laws. Xue Ying had to adapt to the laws of this civilization. This process of acclimatization helped him in perfecting his ‘Dao’.

Only when a cultivator could head to all worlds would he have grasped an eternal Dao. Only then would he be qualified to jump out of the cage and become a Chaotic Origin Lifeform.

“God Monarch Flying Snow, come to my residence right at this moment.” A voice transmission was heard.

“Mn?”

Xue Ying who was holding on to his wine cup and still pondering over his Chaotic Origin Refined Body became startled, “Is this a transmission from the City Master, Imperial Wind High Mountain?”

“Father?” Imperial Wind Qing Yin was similarly stunned. She had received the summon too.

“Qing Yin, the City Master has summoned you over too?” Xue Ying looked at his disciple’s expression before chuckling out.

“Yes.” Imperial Wind Qing Yin nodded.

“Then let us go over.” Xue Ying said. He turned to the female Qin Master, Leng Xin, “Miss Leng, Qing Yin and I have some matters. You should return first.”

The female Qin Master Leng Xin bade her farewell and left.

Xue Ying also brought along Imperial Wind Qing Yin to the City Master residence.

******

The City Master residence was also where the Imperial Wind Clan was located at. It occupied an immense area.

Within the main palace.

There were a huge number of experts gathered here. There were the personal disciples of the Imperial Wind Clan, Bat Mountain Master, God Monarch Jian Yin, Xue Ying and other experts. The majority of the experts gathered were at least Middle Stage God Emperor Realm and beyond. It was quite rare to find those at the level of Imperial Wind Qing Yin. She was qualified to enter only because she was the daughter of the City Master.

“Brother Flying Snow, why do you think the City Master has summoned so many people over? Almost all the experts in the city has been called over.” Bat Mountain Master walked over. His triangular head was indeed ugly, though he had an enthusiastic expression on his face.

“Who knows?” Xue Ying did not mind. He stayed in the High Mountain City primarily to cultivate without others disturbing him.

“It has been a very long time since High Mountain City gathered so many experts. I think that things are amiss.” Bat Mountain Master guessed. It was not just him, many other experts were panicking in their hearts.

Without saying the reason for summoning so many experts abruptly, everyone could faintly guess what it was for.

“He’s here.”

“The City Master is here.”

The palace hall quietened down. The gray-haired middle-aged man who had seen through the vicissitudes of life, ‘Imperial Wind High Mountain’, came in from the side door of the palace. Beside him followed Housekeeper Tong.

Imperial Wind High Mountain had revitalized the entire Imperial Wind Clan single-handedly. He was an ambitious and formidable person given that he had reached the God Emperor Realm while at the same time, led the sect to where it stood now. Nonetheless, the expression of Imperial Wind High Mountain was solemn. After reaching the throne position, he did not sit. Instead, he looked down at everyone and started: “I know everyone could guess the reason why I summoned everyone over!”

The group of audience below looked upwards at Imperial Wind High Mountain.

“There is a powerful enemy currently rushing his way over to my High Mountain City.” Imperial Wind High Mountain looked down at everyone, “He should be here in about an hour.”

“What?”

“A powerful enemy?”

“An hour’s time?”

The entire palace became chaotic and frenzied. This news came too abruptly.

“City Master, what powerful enemy is he? Why is he attacking our High Mountain City?” Unrest started spreading among the audience.

Imperial Wind High Mountain frowned slightly before snorting lightly. The palace hall began quieting once again.

“The enemy is very powerful. He has a vengeance with my Imperial Wind Clan that cannot be resolved.” Imperial Wind High Mountain looked downwards and gave a cold sneer, “I know what everyone’s thinking now. That enemy has a bone to pick with the Imperial Wind Clan and not with you all, am I right?”

The expressions on many experts shifted slightly.

“I, Imperial Wind High Mountain, has governed the High Mountain City for so long and has treated everyone here pretty well. Now that my clan is facing danger, I hope everyone could contribute your strength as well.” Imperial Wind High Mountain might be ‘requesting’ for everyone to help, but everyone present could sense the overbearing will Imperial Wind High Mountain had! Clearly, everyone present had to agree. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire since they were in the residence of the Imperial Wind Clan, a place covered in arrays that the Imperial Wind Clan controlled.

Hence, how could any of them dare to resist?

“The few of us will naturally do our best!”

“City Master, we have been showered with kindness from the Imperial Wind Clan. We would naturally not retreat at this moment.” There were experts who immediately stated their stand. None of them were fools. They knew that it was too late for them to run now.

“Mn.” Imperial Wind High Mountain nodded, “Rest assured. When the powerful enemy comes, I’ll personally meet him head on. Many experts from my Imperial Wind Clan will also be there to help out. The lot of you are strengthened by the array of the city too, and the enemies won’t be that strong either.”

Those present could only choose to believe since they had no other route of retreat.

Xue Ying stood in the crowd listening silently.

Powerful enemy?

For Imperial Wind High Mountain to force all experts here to fight back, the enemy had to be threatening to the clan.

Standing by his side, Imperial Wind Qing Yin hesitated momentarily before stealthily transmitting over to Xue Ying: “Teacher, the enemy is incredibly powerful. Our Imperial Wind Qing Yin can’t resist against him. Teacher, it is better that you hide further away and remain low-profile. Once you find the chance, you should hurry up and flee. There’s no need to die with my Imperial Wind Clan.” Imperial Wind Qing Yin and the others had been strictly ordered not to spread this news out.

“Can’t resist?” Xue Ying felt his heart panicking. He turned to his disciple.

Imperial Wind Qing Yin nodded slightly to him. At the same time, she continued, “Teacher, this is a calamity that my Imperial Wind Clan is currently facing. It is the fortune and joy of I, Qing Yin, to meet Teacher before the great calamity arrives. It’s just that this calamity is too dangerous so Teacher must not participate too deeply. It is pointless. The enemy is too strong––so much more than my Imperial Wind Clan.”

Xue Ying could sense the urgency in his disciple, and the concern for him.

Qing Yin and the others were already prepared to fight to the death? This foolish disciple!

Xue Ying smiled at Imperial Wind Qing Yin. He transmitted back: “Rest assured. Your Teacher has never done things that I am not confident of.”

The moment Imperial Wind Qing Yin heard that, she felt rest assured. At the same time, she felt sullen for her Teacher who did not care about the life and death of his disciple.