After the path was cut off

Duoling Peak, Crossing Bridge Pavilion.

Siam lowered his eyes and looked through the several visiting cards that had been handed to him on the table, his expression unusually serious.

Outside the pavilion, the wind swept through the deep valley, and the clouds and mist rolled up from under the bridge, clinging to the railing before slowly dissipating.

Opposite her, a woman in white was quietly reporting the changes within the sect in recent days.

"...That's roughly how things went." Fu Yun said, his brows still furrowed. "I never expected that Devon would be so naive, actually going along with what Tianzhu Peak said and dragging Duoling Peak into it as well."

Upon hearing this, Siam remained expressionless, only saying calmly:

"It may not be a bad thing."

Fu Yun was taken aback.

Siam gently put down the visiting card in his hand, his gaze passing over the sea of ​​clouds outside the pavilion and landing in the far distance.

"Yunmeng is the burial place of Kunyuan Zhenjun and Fuhai Dasheng, and also the starting point for the opening up of the East Sea."

"It wouldn't be a bad idea to secure a sacred site in such a place and use it as a training ground for the disciples of the peak."

Fu Yun frowned even more as he listened.

"Opening up a new land is no child's play," she said softly. "Once the sacred land is captured, the next steps are defending it, maintaining the formation, enlisting, and sacrificing lives. Senior Sister, you clearly hate worldly affairs the most, why are you so confused today?"

Siam did not answer immediately.

After a moment, she spoke softly:

"If you truly yearn for the Way, where is not a place for spiritual practice?"

Fu Yun was not fooled by this statement; instead, he pressed on with his question:

"But Yunmeng is still a land of water and soil. Even if there were opportunities, they should be contested by those who cultivate water and earth. Senior Sister cultivates fire virtue, what does that have to do with that place?"

Siam finally raised his eyes and glanced at her.

"Who told you that repairing fire can only involve sticking to old methods and methods?"

Fu Yun paused slightly.

The Siamese voice remained flat.

"The True Lord and the Great Sage have been buried for hundreds of years, and the Earth and Weak Water are intertwined and inseparable. Such a place will not only experience changes in water and soil."

"The longer it is suppressed, the more likely it is to produce something that is not in accordance with the old laws."

She paused, then her gaze returned to the sea of ​​clouds outside the pavilion.

"That might not be the path I shouldn't take."

Fu Yun's heart tightened, and he blurted out:

"Senior sister, are you still hung up on the matter of seeking gold?"

Siam did not deny it.

Fu Yun pursed her lips and whispered:

"Doesn't the sect already have a method for seeking gold prepared? At the very least, there's the path paved by our ancestors for your true teachings. Why must Senior Sister insist on taking this perilous and bottomless road?"

"Because that's not the path I want."

Siam answered very calmly, but without the slightest hesitation.

"Prove it, then prove it's a path no one has ever walked on."

"Otherwise, what kind of carefree life is this?"

The pavilion fell silent for a moment.

Fu Yun looked at her, but she didn't feel truly relieved. Instead, she felt even more uneasy.

She knew this senior sister too well.

If it were merely for a side path of fire virtue, or an opportunity to attain enlightenment, Siam might not have personally come to deal with these mundane affairs and disputes that she had always detested.

She is more like—

Using Yunmeng as a springboard, they are pursuing something else.

Fu Yun remained silent for a moment, then finally spoke in a low voice:

"Is it because of Li Wangxiang, or because of Bei Chen?"

Inside the pavilion over the bridge, the wind suddenly subsided.

Siam neither immediately denied nor admitted it.

She simply lowered her gaze to the sea of ​​clouds outside the pavilion, and after a moment, she suddenly asked softly:

"Fuyun, have you ever encountered something like this—"

"Just seeing a shadow, and you know that the path ahead will never lead back to where you started?"

Fu Yun was slightly taken aback, and subconsciously shook his head.

"no."

Upon hearing this, Siam chuckled very softly.

"Then you are very lucky."

After she finished speaking, she didn't continue the topic. She simply raised her hand and gently gathered the visiting cards on the table together, then spoke softly:

"Please reply to this post for me; I need to see all of these people."

"Have him keep an eye on Li Wangxiang."

--------------------

When Gu Xiangyang climbed Xiaohuan Mountain again, it was already dusk.

Li Wangxiang received him in his cave dwelling this time.

Although it is a cave, it has a bright window that faces the canyon directly.

The setting sun shone through the window, casting a slanted glow on the stone bricks, making half of the room golden and the other half dark.

The room was not cramped. One side of the stone wall was carved into a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, stacked with slightly yellowed scrolls; in the center was a long blue stone table, on which was a censer and two cups of tea, with wisps of smoke rising.

There was a reclining chair by the window, and behind the stone screen, a corner of a bed could be glimpsed in the back room.

Gu Xiangyang looked around and sighed, "I never imagined that the true disciple whom everyone looks up to would live in such a... humble dwelling?"

Li Wangxiang was somewhat surprised; Gu Xiangyang's words were rather blunt. "My humble abode is rather simple, please have a seat."

Gu Xiangyang shook his head. "The house may look respectable, but once the immortal sect is established, we can't use it to entertain guests anymore. People who don't know us well will think that Junior Brother looks down on him."

Li Wangxiang understood the protective intent in his words, but had no time to dwell on such trivial matters. He picked up the teapot and filled Gu Xiangyang's cup, saying, "Although the house is a bit simple, this tea is excellent. You can't get this anywhere else, so why don't you give it a try, senior brother?"

Gu Xiangyang sat down, took a sip, and his eyes lit up. He felt a refreshing sensation flow into his throat, the spiritual flavor lingering endlessly. "Excellent tea! This spiritual tea must be at least third-grade. The skill of a true disciple is indeed extraordinary."

Li Wangxiang didn't exchange many pleasantries. "The wind direction has been changing rapidly these past few days."

Gu Xiangyang slowly put down his teacup, his expression becoming solemn. "Indeed. Since I came down the mountain three days ago, everything has changed. In recent days, more and more people have been coming to see me."

Gu Xiangyang pondered for a moment, then said:

"Some openly mention spiritual land, while others subtly probe for information. A few even directly offered to lend me their accumulated immortal cultivation techniques, asking for favors in return during the bidding process."

Li Wangxiang remained unmoved, as if he was not surprised by this.

Gu Xiangyang glanced at him and continued:

"I declined them all. I just said that we didn't have any special relationship and that going up the mountain was just to catch up with old acquaintances."

Li Wangxiang raised his eyes, a half-smile on his face, "Did Senior Brother really refuse?"

Gu Xiangyang smiled. "Naturally, I'll openly refuse, but secretly spread the word."

"Since my junior brother is already prepared to participate, there's no point in trying to stop him. Given your status, you're bound to stir up trouble. I'm just going with the flow."

Li Wangxiang nodded, a warm feeling rising in his heart at Gu Xiangyang's "thoughtfulness".

Gu Xiangyang changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious, "However, news came this morning that the First Peak and the Third Peak have both gone to Duoling Peak."

"The sect is in an uproar. Everyone's saying that the true disciple of Duoling Peak is also going to participate. This matter..."

Li Wangxiang was silent for a moment, then looked out the window at the canyon in the twilight and said softly, "'Siam' will be next."

Gu Xiangyang's chest heaved as he listened, and he took a deep breath. He looked at Li Wangxiang, but ultimately didn't ask why. He simply sighed, "Then the situation would be completely different."

"What we can foresee is that this bidding process will no longer be dominated by Seventh Peak alone, but rather a battle between two strong contenders."

"Other disciples under my tutelage will also flock to my Seventh Peak and the peaks supported by Duoling Peak because of the reputation of being the true successor."

"If the two sides have the same competitive goal..."

"A bloodbath is inevitable."

Li Wangxiang nodded, his expression somewhat somber in the twilight.

Gu Xiangyang continued, "My Seventh Peak has considered many options. We don't need that top-grade spiritual land. Wherever we set up a sect, it doesn't matter. We just want to be safe and avoid attracting too much attention."

Li Wangxiang said, "'Siam' is targeting me. Senior Brother has no room to back down."

Gu Xiangyang frowned

Li Wangxiang pondered for a moment and then slowly said:

"This bidding process will most likely not go the distance as it has in the old ways."

"I am not as familiar with the bidding for spiritual land as my senior brother. You Seventh Peak should proceed according to your own plans. All I can offer is the information I have."

Gu Xiangyang nodded and didn't press the matter further.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Li Wangxiang gently twirled the teacup in his hand with his fingertips, as if he had remembered something, and suddenly asked:

"Senior brother, are you hosting a small banquet tomorrow night?"

Gu Xiangyang smiled.

"With the bidding process approaching, we should try everything that's going to happen and everything that needs to be tried."

"It's called a small banquet, but it's really just a way for everyone to get a feel for each other. Besides, with the help of our junior brother, the Seventh Peak is currently riding high, so they have to give us some face."

Upon hearing this, Li Wangxiang lowered his eyes to look at the slightly swirling tea in his cup, and after a moment, spoke softly:

"Then please reserve an identity for me as well."

Gu Xiangyang was taken aback.

Li Wangxiang raised his eyes, his expression calm:

"I will be there in disguise tomorrow night."

Gu Xiangyang was initially surprised, but then he chuckled.

"it is good."

"However, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint my junior brother then."

"No one tells the truth at a dinner party."