Confrontation

High Lord Zi Yuan's voice was far from quiet, and his words sounded so cutting and rude that the bustling hall fell silent at once. Following his gaze toward the entrance, the assembled immortals all froze.

In her flowing red robes, Feng Ran stood out among the lesser immortals like a crane among chickens. Her imperious bearing and icy expression made quite a few Immortal Lords instinctively move several steps away.

From High Lord Zi Yuan's words, this Immortal Lady was clearly a High Lord. But which female High Lord in the Three Realms was so unapproachable and radiated such a murderous aura?

Though Feng Ran's fearsome reputation was known throughout the Three Realms, she had not left Qingchi Palace in ten thousand years. Apart from the High Lords who had fought her back then, no one knew what she looked like. The banquet had yet to begin, and the other High Immortals were not as fond of fame and influence as Zi Yuan, so he was the only High Lord present in the hall.

Halfway up the mountain, Feng Ran had noticed that everyone riding the clouds up with her was a lesser immortal, and only then realized that the young attendant had tricked her the night before. Already irritated, she looked up at the sound of that cutting voice and saw Zi Yuan, his face smug but his eyes full of resentment.

"If even High Lord Zi Yuan is willing to endure suffering in this mortal world, how could I, Feng Ran, a mere mortal creature, enjoy eternal life alone?" Suppressing the gloom on her face, Feng Ran cast him a sidelong glance and spoke in a ringing voice, a decidedly roguish air in her every movement.

It was a truly amusing remark, its meaning—"Unless you die first, I swear I won't go before you"—perfectly plain. Coming from an Immortal Lady, it struck the assembled immortals as all the funnier, and they could not help smiling.

But once they had fully digested her words, they looked at the imposing Feng Ran with disbelief in their eyes. Ten thousand years ago, High Lord Feng Ran had single-handedly wiped out armies numbering in the tens of thousands from both the immortals and Demonkind. Rumor had always painted her as hideous and terrifying, like a god of slaughter descended upon the world. Who would have imagined such an exquisite, otherworldly beauty? As her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly at High Lord Zi Yuan, her face full of menace, her tall figure took on a martial grandeur that ordinary Immortal Ladies could scarcely hope to match. Admiration appeared unbidden on the watching immortals' faces.

Among the female High Lords, apart from Princess Jing Zhao, scarcely anyone could rival such beauty and spirit!

Sensing the hostility crackling between them, everyone silently marveled that the rumors were indeed true. The enmity between High Lord Feng Ran and High Lord Zi Yuan truly ran deep; even ten thousand years had not worn it away.

Zi Yuan was accustomed to throwing his weight around in the Immortal Realm and was arrogant by nature. Seeing the immortals look at Feng Ran with admiration, his eyes darkened fiercely.

"Feng Ran, why have you come running out instead of staying secluded in Qingchi Palace? Out here, no one can protect you!" Zi Yuan snorted, his expression haughty.

The Immortal Lords in the hall exchanged glances. Though they had always known High Lord Zi Yuan to be arrogant, overbearing, and contemptuous of others, they had never imagined he would disregard even High God Gu Jun and dare to challenge Qingchi Palace openly.

"This Lord has no need of protection, unlike you. Where in the Three Realms can I not go? But you, Zi Yuan—when I saw you ten thousand years ago, you were merely a Lesser Lord. Now you have joined the ranks of the High Lords. Congratulations indeed. Only... I wonder whether any of those elixirs Jing Yang treasures are left, and whether they're enough for you alone!"

With her hands clasped behind her back, Feng Ran strolled farther into the hall, undisguised mockery in her eyes.

Zi Yuan had never possessed any talent for cultivation. By a stroke of chance, he had once saved Jing Yang, the Heavenly Realm's Eldest Prince, and received many rare spiritual medicines to increase his spiritual power. Only then had he attained the immortal power of a High Lord, yet he remained among the weakest of that rank. The other High Lords had little liking for him, and his friendships with the other immortals were no more than superficial.

Yet he had always been immensely proud of his rank as a High Lord. Now, seeing the faint contempt in the immortals' eyes at Feng Ran's words, he flew into a rage and shouted, "Feng Ran, you..."

He broke off halfway, unable to find another word, his face flushed crimson. He had never been well liked, and those who had taken pains to cultivate his friendship earlier were merely lesser immortals. Naturally, they had no wish to offend Feng Ran, whose power stood at the very pinnacle of the High Lord rank. For a moment, no one spoke up for him, and the scene immediately grew strained.

For some reason, the two Immortal Lords behind him had also seemed distracted ever since Feng Ran entered. Instead of soothing Zi Yuan as they usually did, they stood blankly to one side.

In the space of a breath, Feng Ran had reached Zi Yuan. Her deep red robes lent her an inexplicable air of resolve, and her expression was stern and chilling. "Zi Yuan, this Lord has not dared forget the grudge of that arrow in all these ten thousand years. Should the opportunity arise, I will repay it twice over."

Startled by the woman's lone-wolf stare, Zi Yuan stumbled back two steps. Terrifying memories buried deep within his soul abruptly resurfaced.

Back then in Yuanling Marsh, Feng Ran had been drenched in blood and gravely wounded, yet she had still managed to kill the Third Prince of Demonkind. Had Zi Yuan not arrived just in time and unleashed his immortal sword from the shadows, he might well have failed to save the dying Jing Yang. Even so, a single palm strike from Feng Ran had cost him a hundred years of cultivation, and he had barely escaped. Feng Ran had not even been a High Lord then, yet she had already been as terrifying and difficult to contend with as a demon god—let alone now.

At the sight of the undisguised fear on Zi Yuan's face, mockery flickered across the faces of the Immortal Lords in the hall, as though they could scarcely believe a High Lord could be so weak and easily cowed. Amid the awkward silence, a cultured, genial laugh suddenly sounded from the rear hall.

"High Lord Feng Ran has not left Qingchi Palace in ten thousand years. Now that you have graced Mount Daze with your presence, I, Dong Hua, have been remiss in not coming out to welcome you." High Lord Dong Hua appeared at the entrance to the inner hall, dressed in a scholar's blue-green robes. With his white hair, long beard, and composed demeanor, he possessed the wisdom and understanding of an elder.

Dong Hua was the most senior High Lord in the Three Realms. His arrival and genial words immediately eased much of the tension. Even Feng Ran remembered Hou Chi's instructions and, taking the hint, repeatedly waved her hands and protested that she deserved no such courtesy.

A group of High Lords followed Dong Hua into the hall. Though they showed Feng Ran no particular warmth, most regarded her with curiosity and approval. High Lord Dong Hua even left the entire hall of guests aside to discuss methods of building a foundation of spiritual power with her. Everyone knew that High Lord Dong Hua loved the immortal arts as dearly as life itself, so his behavior came as little surprise.

This left Zi Yuan looking as though he had been deliberately slighted. His expression shifted several times before his gaze happened to sweep over Wuxu and Wuwang standing behind him. Remembering the birthday gift, a gleam of malicious satisfaction flashed through his eyes, and he gave a loud cough to attract the attention of the High Lords in the hall.

"High Lord Dong Hua, something happened to me recently that has left me unable to quell my resentment. Today is your birthday celebration, and I ought not spoil the occasion by mentioning it. But you, Venerable High Lord, have always commanded great respect for your virtue, and I hope you will judge the rights and wrongs of the matter."

As he spoke, Zi Yuan bowed to High Lord Dong Hua with an air of utter solemnity. Everyone paused in surprise and looked toward him. High Lord Dong Hua frowned almost imperceptibly, cast Feng Ran a slightly regretful glance, then turned and said in a clear voice, "This old man has long kept out of the affairs of the Immortal Realm. If you have suffered an injustice, High Lord, you need only petition the Heavenly Emperor."

Hearing the evasion in Dong Hua's words, Zi Yuan hurriedly waved his hands. "High Lord, this concerns Demonkind. How can it be brushed aside?"

Although the immortals and Demonkind had ceased fighting a thousand years ago, most of the Immortal Lords in the hall bore deep grudges against Demonkind. At Zi Yuan's words, solemn expressions appeared on their faces.

Seeing how seriously Zi Yuan spoke, High Lord Dong Hua grew grave. "If it concerns Demonkind, then that is certainly another matter. High Lord Zi Yuan, tell us what has happened that is so important."

Zi Yuan saw that all the immortals looked solemn, while Feng Ran alone remained indifferent. An inscrutable gleam passed through his eyes. Immediately assuming a stern expression, he declared angrily, "My fellow High Lords, Feng Ran has colluded with Demonkind and is plotting against our Immortal Realm!"

As he spoke, he pointed at Feng Ran, his face a picture of righteous indignation. He failed to notice that Wuxu and Wuwang, standing behind him, had suddenly turned deathly pale.

"High Lord Zi Yuan, do you have any proof?"

He had barely finished speaking before a High Lord challenged him bluntly, his expression full of disbelief. Everyone knew that Zi Yuan and Feng Ran had a bitter feud, so his words naturally carried far less weight. Besides, Feng Ran was now under Qingchi Palace's protection and bore a deep grudge against the Demon Realm. Why would she collude with Demonkind?

"Of course." Seeing their disbelief, Zi Yuan raised a hand and beckoned behind him. "High Lord Dong Hua, am I, Zi Yuan, the sort to make baseless accusations? A few days ago, Wuxu and Wuwang encountered members of Demonkind on Mount Qilian and were wounded by them. Even the coral tree I intended to present to you was stolen. Mount Qilian falls under Feng Ran's jurisdiction. Without her permission, how could Demonkind have entered it?"

The immortals froze, then looked toward Feng Ran. Colluding with Demonkind was a grave crime! Even the protection of High God Gu Jun would not spare her the Nine Heavens Lightning Punishment.

Feng Ran raised her eyebrows. Seeing Zi Yuan's smug expression, she sighed. "Zi Yuan, this is no trivial matter. Surely you don't mean to force me to confess on nothing more than the one-sided claims of those two behind you?"

Taking Feng Ran's words as a sign of weakness, Zi Yuan smiled triumphantly. He pulled Wuwang out from behind him and pointed at his body. "Feng Ran, stop trying to wriggle out of this. The wounds Demonkind inflicted on Wuwang are proof!"

With all the High Lords staring intently at him, Wuwang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Panic-stricken, he said nothing.

All the immortals sensed that something was amiss. Only Zi Yuan remained lost in his own smug satisfaction. High Lord Dong Hua realized something was wrong and sighed inwardly. He was about to speak when Feng Ran interrupted.

Feng Ran let out a snort of laughter. With her hands clasped behind her back, she said mockingly, "Zi Yuan, all your years of cultivating immortal arts have truly been wasted. To think you even rank among the High Lords! Wuwang's wounds were plainly inflicted by immortal arts, yet you dare use them to slander me?"

Zi Yuan froze. Seeing High Lord Dong Hua frown and remain silent, he knew Feng Ran was right. His face instantly flushed a dark, liverish red. Whirling around, he bellowed, "Wuxu, what is going on?"

In truth, Zi Yuan was not entirely to blame. Without strength at the pinnacle of the High Lord rank, like Feng Ran's or Dong Hua's, it was indeed difficult to tell. Had he not been so eager to take revenge on Feng Ran, he might have noticed something suspicious.

Wuxu and Wuwang fell to their knees in panic. They stammered for a long time without managing a single complete sentence, merely pleading over and over, "Forgive us, High Lord."

"Allow me to explain instead. A few days ago, the immortal attendants at Qingchi Palace discovered that someone had trespassed. They searched everywhere without finding the intruders, but they did find a coral tree in Huajing Pool. I was still wondering who could be so brazen as to venture inside the barrier High God Gu Jun had laid. Only today did I learn that it belonged to High Lord Zi Yuan..."

As she spoke, Feng Ran took the coral tree from her Qiankun Pouch and set it on the floor, mockery in her eyes. "High Lord Zi Yuan, you keep accusing me of colluding with Demonkind and committing high treason. Now that you have allowed your subordinates to trespass in Qingchi Palace, what punishment do you deserve?"

Zi Yuan paled, suddenly remembering the fate of that Jiao Dragon all those years ago. Gritting his teeth, he snorted. "If those two trespassed in Qingchi Palace, deal with them as you please. What has it to do with me?"

Even with Eldest Prince Jing Yang protecting him, the Heavenly Emperor would not permit the dignity of a High God to be lightly affronted. Zi Yuan had answered Feng Ran without a moment's thought.

Wuxu and Wuwang knelt on the floor, their faces ashen, a measure of disbelief still lingering in their eyes as they looked at Zi Yuan.

As though she had known all along that Zi Yuan would say this, Feng Ran gave a derisive laugh. Not bothering with him any further, she swept her sleeve and turned to look outside the hall.

The immortals were greatly taken aback to see Zi Yuan place so little value on the lives of the Immortal Lords serving him. Many of the High Lords looked at him with outright contempt.

Seeing the strained atmosphere in the hall, High Lord Dong Hua sighed, knowing that his birthday feast would most likely end on an unhappy note. He was just about to smooth things over when a Phoenix's cry suddenly rang out beyond the mountain, leaving him momentarily startled.

"High Lord Dong Hua, I, Jing Jian, have come at Imperial Father's command to offer birthday felicitations. May your blessings, Venerable High Lord, be as vast as the Eastern Sea, and your life as enduring as the Southern Mountain." It was no more than a conventional greeting for the occasion, yet the newcomer spoke with such gentle warmth that it felt like a spring breeze.

Hearing this, the immortals in the hall hurried outside. Jing Jian was the Heavenly Emperor's second son, and now that he had come to offer birthday wishes on the Heavenly Emperor's behalf, his standing was far from ordinary.

Seeing all the guests looking flustered and Zi Yuan once again assuming his haughty air, Feng Ran pursed her lips and followed them outside. She idly brushed the hem of her sleeve, a flicker of relief in her eyes.

Fortunately, Hou Chi had not yet come up the mountain. Otherwise, who knew what might happen if she encountered Jing Jian, the Heavenly Emperor's son!

On the open terrace outside the immortal residence, a young man wearing a jade crown and a python-patterned robe stepped down from a blue-green Phoenix. Seeing the assembled immortals welcoming him, he smiled. "You honor Jing Jian far too much by coming out to greet me, my Immortal Friends."

As he spoke, he presented High Lord Dong Hua with a brocade box of solid emerald green. "This contains a spirit herb Jing Jian found on Mount Ji'an several months ago. I heard that Immortal Friend Xian Shan will soon face his High Lord Tribulation, and I hope it may be of some help."

High Lord Dong Hua had intended to decline, but at these words, delight showed on his face. Knowing that anything Jing Jian offered must be exceptional, he accepted without further ceremony and said gratefully, "My unworthy disciple's foundation is weak. Thank you for taking such trouble, Second Highness."

Hearing the wistfulness in High Lord Dong Hua's voice, the assembled immortals could not help feeling a pang themselves. Immortal Lord Xian Shan was High Lord Dong Hua's eldest disciple, an upright and fair man who was well liked throughout the Immortal Realm. In the battle against Demonkind all those years ago, his foundation had been severely damaged, and both his body and soul had nearly been destroyed. He had survived only because High Lord Dong Hua had continually used spirit medicines to protect his vital essence. Only now, after tens of thousands of years of cultivation, had he reached another Heavenly Tribulation. Yet his immortal power was no longer what it had been, and his chances of surviving the tribulation were slim. This had become a constant worry for High Lord Dong Hua.

"Jing Jian is acting at Imperial Father's behest. Please think nothing of it, Venerable Immortal Lord." Jing Jian smiled, his manner easy and composed.

Standing behind the other immortals, Feng Ran narrowed her eyes and studied him closely, then gave a dismissive snort. The Heavenly Emperor's whole family was just the same, always adept at winning people over. Still... She glanced at the graceful young man with his warm, refined smile and thought that this Jing Jian was far easier on the eyes than his arrogant elder brother Jing Yang.

As though recalling the hatred of years past, Feng Ran's gaze grew fierce as she stared at Jing Jian.

Seeming to sense her scrutiny, he looked over with a trace of puzzlement. When he saw Feng Ran watching him with a raised brow and an expression of disdain, he froze briefly. After a moment's hesitation, he smiled at her, an inscrutable flicker of curiosity passing through his eyes.

What a murderous air this Immortal Lady had!

"Second Highness, the Phoenix Clan has always been exceedingly proud. I never imagined you could subdue one. Your Highness is truly remarkable!" This ill-timed praise rang out abruptly as Zi Yuan stepped past the others and approached with a smile, casting a glance in Feng Ran's direction.

Feng Ran's true form was a Fire Phoenix. Knowing that Zi Yuan was deliberately humiliating her, the assembled immortals all kept their mouths tightly shut, lest they be caught in the crossfire.

Jing Jian was visibly displeased by these words, but seeing that the speaker was Zi Yuan, who was on good terms with his elder brother, he could only press his lips into a smile. Noticing everyone turn their gaze toward the Immortal Lady who had radiated such a murderous air, he asked curiously, "My Immortal Friends, this Immortal Lord is...?"

"Second Highness, this is High Lord Feng Ran of Qingchi Palace." Zi Yuan immediately drew close to Jing Jian. Seeing his expression change at these words, he hastily added, "High Lord Feng Ran certainly has a lofty opinion of herself. Not only did she come uninvited, she was even about to turn her wrath on this Lord just now!"