Chapter 1606: A Mistake at First Sight Lasts a Lifetime

"I used to wonder what kind of woman could captivate so many brilliant men and lead them astray for life," Xie Daoyun exclaimed, her face still reflecting the awe she felt from encountering Yan Xuehen yesterday. "After meeting her up close, I can truly say she is peerless, a celestial being descended to earth."

Zu'an was speechless. He'd only just learned yesterday that the sect leader of Lihentian was one of Yan Xuehen's suitors, and today he discovered another – the highly esteemed Imperial Preceptor of the current dynasty? How many more suitors of Yan Xuehen are there that I don't know about?

It seemed that among the older generation he'd met over the years, roughly half were fond of Yu Yanluo and the other half of Yan Xuehen. Of course, it wasn't impossible for these two groups to overlap, like shameless people such as Xie Daoyun's father.

What about Yun Jianyue? Her beauty and temperament were clearly no less than Yan Xuehen's, so why did she have so few suitors? He quickly realized, however, that Yun Jianyue was, after all, from the Demonic Sect. As its leader, she had to be formidable and fierce, lacking Yan Xuehen's approachable aura. People feared her more, which naturally meant fewer suitors compared to Yan Xuehen. Another reason was that he had so far met few people from the Demonic Sect; presumably, Yun Jianyue was also a popular figure within her own sect.

***

In front of the Zishan mountain gate, a stir was occurring. The appearance of two women instantly drew the attention of everyone passing by. One wore a snow-white gown, the other a long, ice-blue dress, their skirts swaying and dark hair flowing. Zishan was famous for the ethereal purple mist that appeared at sunrise, but these two women were also surrounded by a similar mystical aura. Some women truly shine, naturally becoming the center of attention. When two such women stood together, they were truly breathtaking, like a dream or morning dew.

Both women's faces were veiled, concealing their features, revealing only their beautiful, gem-like eyes. Far from diminishing their beauty, this only heightened their allure and sparked imagination. Their eyes held an otherworldly coolness, and their skin was as pristine and delicate as white snow. They seemed like two remote, independent snow peaks – cold, proud, sacred, untouched by the mundane world.

The bustling mountain gate suddenly fell silent. Everyone instinctively turned to look at them, their minds dazed as if they had seen celestial maidens. Many, after a glance, couldn't meet their gaze directly, feeling an inexplicable sense of inferiority. Such beauty could only exist in heaven; it was rarely seen on earth. And there were two of them at once! Were they mother and daughter? Their temperaments were clearly cast from the same mold, the only difference being that one was more mature and the other more youthful. But as soon as the thought arose, they dismissed it. How could celestial maidens have children with men? They must be sisters!

Normally, these people were all outstanding individuals, but at that moment, foolish and absurd thoughts filled their minds, as if their souls had been enchanted. Alas, after seeing such celestial beings, how could any other woman ever appeal to them again?

At that moment, the two women walked toward the Zheng Yang Sect disciples stationed at the gate. To their surprise, the disciples seemed half-stupefied and completely unresponsive. The two women subtly frowned. The leader among the disciples, as if waking from a dream, hastily swallowed and said with some difficulty, "Are the two celestial maidens here to visit Zishan? Please forgive us, but Zishan is preparing for the sect's grand martial competition these days and cannot receive external guests." As soon as he spoke, he felt a pang of regret. Calling them "celestial maidens" like a lovesick fool certainly tarnished the reputation of the Zheng Yang Sect. Meanwhile, murderous glares came from the crowd. How dared he refuse such celestial beings entry? Had he practiced cultivation until he became a fool? Even if they weren't from one of the Nine Daoist Sects, they should still be allowed in!

At that moment, the woman in the ice-blue dress took out a jade token and handed it over. Just seeing a glimpse of her fair wrist made the lead disciple's heart pound and his mouth go dry. He considered himself a man of strong resolve, but he had never imagined a woman's hand could be so perfectly beautiful. Fortunately, he had been chosen to oversee the reception of various sects here, clearly being one of the most outstanding disciples. He quickly composed himself according to his sect's mental cultivation method and carefully took the jade token. Upon seeing the information on it, his face paled in astonishment: "So it is Master Yan of White Jade Capital. This junior, Zhang Xi, Chief Disciple of Guanxin Peak of the Zheng Yang Sect, was just rude. I hope Master will forgive me."

The surrounding people suddenly understood, and felt it was only natural. Besides Fairy Yan of White Jade Capital, who else in the world could be so elegant and refined? They had heard that she had taken on an exceptionally talented disciple a few years ago; it must be the one beside her now. They hadn't expected her demeanor to be comparable to her master's. Speaking of which, that Zheng Yang Sect disciple was quite cunning. He deliberately mentioned his own name—was he trying to recommend himself? However, they also knew that if it were them, they would naturally want these two fairy-like figures to remember their names.

The two women were, of course, Yan Xuehen and Chu Chuyan. Perhaps to avoid Zu'an, Yan Xuehen had taken her disciple and left Yi City for Zishan early that morning. Hearing the nervous apology from the other side, she didn't speak but merely nodded slightly. The Zheng Yang Sect truly lived up to its reputation as the foremost of the Nine Sects. Even a disciple from a lesser peak possessed such cultivation and composure. It was purely an elder's appreciation for a junior, and nothing more. As long as she wasn't facing Zu'an, she could always remain calm and undisturbed, her mind as still as water.

Even this was enough to excite Zhang Xi. Though he considered himself composed, he was still a man, instinctively wanting to impress a beautiful woman. So he continued, "Elder Li from your esteemed sect has already gone up the mountain with his disciples and is currently settled in the Divine Water Pavilion. This junior can escort you there." Many bystanders secretly cursed him for being shameless. Wasn't this guy supposed to be greeting guests here? Instead, he was abandoning his duty to chase women. Being close to the water tower meant getting the moon first – truly a cause for envy and resentment.

Chu Chuyan, knowing her master's temperament, parted her red lips slightly and said, "No need. My master prefers quiet, so there's no need to stay with other sect members. We'll go up ourselves. Thank you, senior brother." Her voice was gentle and pleasant to listen to, yet it carried a cool indifference that kept people at a distance. A hint of disappointment flickered in Zhang Xi's eyes. Since they had politely refused, he naturally couldn't insist. So he said, "Then the two of you may follow the mountain path upwards. When you reach the Reception Hall, disciples there will naturally assist you with arrangements." He appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil: "She called me 'senior brother'! She called me 'senior brother'! How can there be such a beautiful voice in the world? Ah, I'm dead!"

Watching their retreating figures, with only a faint fragrance lingering in the air, the group at the gate felt a sense of wistful loss. After a long time, Chu Chuyan's figure kept replaying in Zhang Xi's mind. He murmured to himself, "I used to somewhat misunderstand why our wise and mighty sect master was misled for life upon seeing Master Yan back then. Today, I finally understand. 'What is love in this world...'" At this point, he suddenly jolted and quickly instructed his junior brother beside him, "Quick, quickly notify the Pure Yang Hall! Master Yan has arrived!" Within the sect, naturally, there were unique methods of communication.

***

Meanwhile, at the golden summit, the highest point of Zishan, inside the Pure Yang Hall, a middle-aged man in a long robe sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, meditating with his eyes closed. Purple energy surged around him, constantly inhaling and exhaling the ethereal purple mist, clearly practicing an extremely profound cultivation technique. Even though his face bore the marks of age, he was still as handsome as jade and extraordinarily elegant. The purple aura swirling around him especially gave him an ethereal, immortal-like quality. He was none other than the Imperial Preceptor of the current dynasty, the leader of the Zheng Yang Sect, Wang Wuxie!

Just then, a nearby bell suddenly chimed. He abruptly opened his eyes. Knowing that no one dared disturb his daily cultivation, a message at this time clearly indicated something extremely important. Could someone be causing trouble down the mountain? His expression turned cold. While the various Daoist sects were filled with experts, times had changed. Even a dragon would have to coil when it came to Zishan. At that moment, lines of golden characters appeared on the wall before his eyes. Upon reading the content, he sprang up from his prayer mat in excitement, his breathing quickening. He muttered to himself, "Xuehen, have you finally come to Zishan?"