The sun hadn't risen yet, but the wide, flat square atop the mountain was already packed with people.
Looking around, those wearing the uniform silver robes, adorned with lightning patterns, were disciples of the Wind Thunder Northern Pavilion.
Not only the Wind Thunder Northern Pavilion, but disciples from the other three pavilions were also visible in considerable numbers.
For instance, the most famous young prodigy among the four pavilions, Miss Feng.
Feng Qing'er!
She was also a disciple of the Wind Thunder Pavilion and a candidate for the next Eastern Pavilion Master!
It wasn't surprising that so many people had gathered; after all, this was a matter of great importance concerning the reputation of the entire Wind Thunder Pavilion, no longer just a concern for the Wind Thunder Northern Pavilion alone.
Besides the Wind Thunder Pavilion, there was also a significant crowd of onlookers who had come specifically to witness the spectacle.
The Wind Thunder Pavilion had not dispersed them.
In recent days, rumors about the Wind Thunder Pavilion had become increasingly outrageous due to public gossip, almost causing it to lose all face.
Simple explanations were too weak; they needed a solid victory to re-establish their authority.
The square was crowded, yet eerily quiet. No one dared to speak loudly, all waiting for the day's main characters to appear.
They all understood that with Dou Zun powerhouses involved, the Thunder Venerable would inevitably show himself today.
At the same time, everyone also wanted to know who was stronger between the suddenly appearing Purple Firmament Pavilion Master and the renowned Thunder Venerable.
The answers to all these questions would be revealed today!
Time ticked by, and as the morning sun rose and climbed directly above Qifeng Mountain.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a massive bolt of lightning violently struck down from the clouds. The intense flash of light caused most people to instinctively close their eyes.
After slightly adjusting to the bright light, everyone looked towards where the giant lightning bolt had appeared.
There, several figures emerged, walking slowly, and finally landing gracefully on the silver wooden seats at the high part of the square.
"Hiss, the Pavilion Masters of the Four Pavilions have all arrived. No wonder Fei Tian and the other Pavilion Masters of the Wind Thunder Pavilion weren't qualified to sit down. It turns out those seats were specifically reserved for the four Venerables!"
"The one in the center is the Thunder Venerable. I saw him from afar once seven years ago!"
"The one next to him is the Wind Venerable!"
"And the Sword Venerable and the Yellow Springs Venerable!"
As the crowd saw the four individuals on the seats, exclamations of astonishment immediately echoed.
The appearance of the Four Venerables together was a lineup usually only seen during the Four Pavilions' grand assembly.
However, upon closer thought, since the Wind Thunder Northern Pavilion hadn't moved this time, a battle of Dou Zun caliber was inevitable.
If the Wind Thunder Pavilion won, it would be fine. But if they lost, the situation in the Central State – one Palace, one Tower, two Sects, three Valleys, and four Pavilions – would be rewritten. This was no small matter, so attracting the other Pavilion Masters was entirely normal.
"Heh heh, Thunder Venerable, I told you long ago that your Wind Thunder Pavilion splitting into four like this leaves you with no time to manage things, and trouble would inevitably arise. Didn't I say so?"
The Sword Venerable, seated to the right of the Wind Venerable, was a slightly short old man dressed in simple cloth clothes.
He looked like an unremarkable old man among the common folk, usually quiet, but today he seemed quite pleased. After taking his seat, he even took the initiative to tease.
The reason for this could be traced back to a competition between him and the Thunder Venerable many years ago.
At that time, the Sword Venerable was slightly inferior, and because of this, he was often teased during the Four Pavilions' gatherings. Today, he finally found an opportunity to retort.
He had thoroughly investigated the entire affair; it was a disciple of the Wind Thunder Northern Pavilion who had actively provoked the opponent.
"Heh heh, I actually think the Wind Thunder Pavilion's model is good. You can't deny everything because of a few individual disciples. Moreover, today's matter isn't much of a challenge. The Wind Thunder Pavilion has already roughly identified the opponent; they're probably just a one-star or two-star Dou Zun."
Seated to the left of the Thunder Venerable was the Yellow Springs Venerable.
This person was also an elder, dressed in black robes, with a somewhat sickly pale complexion. A hint of gloominess showed between his brows, and his eyes, one black and one white, looked quite strange.
Among the Four Pavilions, there were closer and more distant relationships.
Relatively speaking, the Wind Thunder Pavilion and the Yellow Springs Pavilion were closer, while the Starfall Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion leaned towards each other.
It's worth mentioning that this Yellow Springs Venerable had once competed with the Wind Venerable, but the result was that he was defeated after less than a hundred moves.
"It seems none of you are optimistic about that person. However, I think today's battle might have an unexpected outcome. Thunder Venerable, you should be prepared."
The old man speaking was the Wind Venerable, seated right next to the Thunder Venerable.
Today, Feng Xian was dressed in a blue robe, his long hair loose over his shoulders, giving him an air of carefree elegance. His appearance wasn't ordinary; even in his old age, one could faintly discern a trace of handsomeness, suggesting he must have been quite good-looking in his youth.
Among the Four Venerables, in terms of both appearance and strength, the Wind Venerable was superior.
Furthermore, due to cultivating wind-attribute Dou Qi, his aura was somewhat ethereal and unpredictable, giving people a sense of mysterious unfathomability.
"Heh heh, I'll trouble you not to worry about it, Wind Venerable. If I can't even handle a young brat, what face do I have to establish myself in the Central State!"
The Thunder Venerable replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
He was quite tall, appearing to be around forty or fifty years old, but he had a streak of silver-white beard on his chin. He wore a silver robe adorned with dense lightning patterns. From a distance, it looked like a living creature, constantly flowing, and even faintly emanating a trace of thunderous might.
Hearing the Thunder Venerable's boastful words, the Wind Venerable gave a silent smile and said no more.
The Sword Venerable, noticing his expression, couldn't help but be moved. Did Feng Xian know about the Purple Firmament Pavilion? Could it be that the Purple Firmament Pavilion Master wasn't as simple as he appeared?
In fact, the Sword Venerable was overthinking.
Feng Xian had never met Chen Xiao!
The reason he knew something was thanks to Yao Chen.
The last time Yao Chen and his disciple quietly returned to the Starfall Pavilion, after many years apart, they naturally had a good catch-up.
When Yao Chen recounted his experiences over the years, he mentioned the Purple Firmament Pavilion in the Black-Corner Region and Chen Xiao.
And at that time, the Chen Xiao mentioned by Yao Chen was only at the Peak Dou Huang strength.
Therefore, even counting from when Yao Chen finished his transaction with Chen Xiao in the Black-Corner Region, in just over two years, Chen Xiao had already surged from Peak Dou Huang to the Dou Zun level!
This speed was unimaginable to Feng Xian; it had surpassed his understanding.
It was precisely because of this that when Feng Xian learned that the Purple Firmament Pavilion Master was confronting the Wind Thunder Pavilion, he had a different perspective.
After all, how could you know that someone who had created one miracle wouldn't create a second one?
The four Venerables didn't communicate frequently. After taking their seats and exchanging a few barbs, they fell silent, closing their eyes to rest.
Among the whispering crowd on the square, there was a particularly quiet area. They didn't participate in the surrounding discussions, only frequently casting their gazes towards the distant horizon.
"Sister, can Pavilion Master Chen really defeat the Thunder Venerable?" In the center of this group, a young girl who bore a striking resemblance to Han Yue transmitted her thoughts.
"Yes! He definitely can! When we were at Jia Nan Academy, Pavilion Master was already at the Dou Zun level. Moreover, at that time, he was accompanied by two female companions whose strength was equally unfathomable. When I saw Pavilion Master that day, those two women weren't with him, and judging by Pavilion Master's tone, he didn't intend to notify them. This means Pavilion Master has absolute confidence!" Han Yue transmitted back with utter certainty.
Hearing this, the girl beside her finally felt at ease and began to joke.
"Sister, are the female companions by Pavilion Master's side as beautiful as you? Actually, I think..."
"Don't talk nonsense. At Pavilion Master's level, it's no longer something we can fantasize about."
Before the girl could finish her transmission, Han Yue interrupted her.
She truly didn't have such thoughts, and on the day she interacted with Chen Xiao, she hadn't felt the slightest hint of such intentions from his eyes. All she felt was a calmness imbued with a subtle smile, like deep water, incapable of rippling.
As the two women were communicating, suddenly, many people on the square couldn't help but shiver. They looked up in confusion, wondering why they felt this way under the bright midday sun.
It was at this moment that the Four Venerables at the high seats simultaneously looked towards the distant horizon.
Following their gaze, the crowd finally realized that the space ahead was distorting violently, with dense spatial fluctuations spreading out from it.
"The three-day deadline has arrived, and the Pavilion Masters of the Four Pavilions have gathered. It seems this is the Wind Thunder Pavilion's answer."
A faint sigh came from the distorted space, and vaguely, a figure dressed in white robes could be seen stepping forward.
At this moment, the temperature in the world suddenly dropped sharply!
As the figure fully materialized, the coldness in the world reached its peak.
Snowflakes began to fall from the sky, and within moments, the entire Qifeng Mountain was plunged into a sea of snow. From a distance, it looked like a world covered in silver, exceptionally enchanting and cold, even blocking out the sun.
And the youth hovering high in the sky was crowned by ice, his radiance dazzling, like a brilliant river of stars!
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