"So, Lady of Illusion Flower is dead?"
Gu Zhao formed two Thunder Seeds in one go and asked Taoist Gao Yue via voice transmission.
"She’s dead."
Taoist Gao Yue gazed at the wisp of dust before him, the remains of a Ghost Body that had dissipated, its eyes open in death.
"The Master of Iron King Mountain is proud and aloof; he never eats people."
"Zang Yue Monarch lives in seclusion on Moon Mountain and has rarely committed any evil deeds."
"The Red Lantern Sect’s Sect Leader is actually a good ghost. I hear she had a tragic life and now dedicates herself to protecting unfortunate women."
Taoist Gao Yue introduced the one demon and two ghosts remaining in Shanzhou.
Gu Zhao nodded. "In that case, there shouldn’t be any more major battles in Shanzhou."
"That’s right. But Shanzhou has eight prefectures and borders the Western Divine Country. There are quite a few Demons and Ghosts lurking in the shadows, so cleaning them up will probably be a hassle," Taoist Xu Xing added.
Gu Zhao smiled. "Isn’t that the perfect opportunity for Martial Uncle Ling Ya and Martial Uncle Zhi Qing to gain some experience?"
Gazing at the wedding procession that was already visible on the horizon, Gu Zhao sent a voice transmission. "Zhan Qing is back with his bride. I expect Martial Uncle Han Zheng and Martial Uncle Han Xuan will be heading over soon too."
Taoist Zhi Qing and Taoist Zhi Xiu laughed heartily. "Welcome, welcome!"
They had gained a great deal from the battle in Shanzhou. Their experience bars were now much fuller than those of Taoist Han Zheng and Taoist Han Xuan.
As they were all teasing each other via voice transmission, the wedding procession drew near.
In addition to their own members who had gone to receive the procession, Snow God Mountain had also sent several experts to escort the bride.
Led by Xue Yining, a group of five experts guarded a red sedan chair floating in mid-air. The group also included two Harmonized couples, each consisting of a Snow Maiden and a Mage.
As for the person inside the red sedan chair, it was naturally this occasion’s bride, Xue Bingbing.
Gu Zhao waved his hand, and a seven-colored rainbow shot out from Daluo Palace, spanning the void to extend to the procession’s feet.
They stepped onto the rainbow and were carried by its light, arriving swiftly and smoothly at the main hall of Daluo Palace.
Xue Yining had been here before, but it was the first visit for the other two couples. They clasped their hands in salute. "Greetings, Gu Palace Master."
Xue Yining made the introductions, and Gu Zhao invited them all into the palace.
The two couples followed, looking around as they went. Although they had mentally prepared themselves, they were still inwardly astonished.
’This Daluo Palace has such an imposing presence. Have they really only been established for two years?’
’It’s the Daluo Palace on Cuiluo Mountain that was established two years ago. They have been developing in secret for several hundred years.’
The members of Snow God Mountain naturally wouldn’t use voice transmissions in front of Daluo Palace’s experts, but Harmonized couples could communicate via Divine Sense without being detected by outsiders.
’I heard that the Spiritual Qi in Daluo Palace’s former home wasn’t abundant, but they had an incredible number of exceptionally talented people.’
’Even these exceptionally talented individuals had to cultivate Magical Power before they were allowed to leave Daluo Palace’s old home.’
’But as soon as they came out, their Cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.’
’Look at this Taoist Shen Hao. His Dao Practice is higher than yours and mine, but he really only came out of Daluo Palace’s old home two years ago. It’s said that he had less than five hundred years of Dao Practice when he emerged, but now he has over a thousand.’
’And Daluo Palace’s Dharma Gate... Not only can Mages cultivate it, but Demons and Ghosts can as well. I heard that several of Daluo Palace’s Guardian Star Officials received the palace’s legacy, which is how they broke through the five-hundred-year limit on their Dao Practice.’
’A Dream Transmission from the Spirit Realm Upper Gods... to think it’s this incredible!’
’I wonder if we could cultivate it?’
’Not necessarily. Don’t be fooled by the number of experts in Daluo Palace. Their Cultivation Method is actually extremely strict. It has high requirements for comprehension, Mental Realm, character, and conduct. Not just anyone can learn it.’
’That’s true. Look at those Outer Disciples of Daluo Palace. In the mortal world, they’d be considered masters in their own right, but after joining Daluo Palace for two years, they haven’t cultivated even a sliver of Magical Power.’
Communicating amongst themselves, the two Snow Maiden couples arrived at the rear courtyard of Daluo Palace along with the wedding procession.
A bride-escorting ceremony was held according to the customs of this world, and with that, the formal procedures were concluded.
"The couple shall enter Harmony! To the bridal chamber!" Taoist Xu Ning announced, acting as the master of ceremonies, while juniors like Changyi and Yangshuo hooted and hollered from the side.
Then, Zhan Qing and Xue Bingbing were escorted to the bridal chamber.
But of course, they weren’t going straight to bed; they were going to perform the Harmony. It was still daytime, after all.
Including Gu Zhao, several of the senior Taoists waited quietly, their gazes intense.
A frigid aura emerged from the bridal chamber, accompanied by the spread of Divine Soul Magical Power.
A moment later, Taoist True Qi rose like a mist, carrying with it the rhythm of nature and spiritual fluctuations.
Finally, the two auras merged into one, forming a presence that was simultaneously whole and yet clearly distinct.
’Did it work?’
’I think they succeeded.’
Zhan Qing’s voice transmission echoed in their Seas of Consciousness. "Your Taoist Master here has done it!"
"Whose Taoist Master are you?" Taoist Shen Hao snorted.
"Ahem, Ancestral Master, *you* are my Taoist Master!" Zhan Qing said sheepishly.
CREAK—
Zhan Qing pushed open the door and came out with Xue Bingbing.
It wasn’t just the people from Daluo Palace; even Xue Yining and the others from Snow God Mountain looked at Zhan Qing and Xue Bingbing with great curiosity.
Previously, Snow Maidens had mostly entered Harmony with ordinary people. A few had done so with Mages of some Dao Practice, but their inherited Magical Power was far weaker than that of the Snow Maidens.
This was the first time a Snow Maiden had entered Harmony with a Mage whose lineage was no weaker than Snow God Mountain’s. They also wanted to see if this kind of Harmony, besides boosting the Snow Maiden’s cultivation speed, had any other benefits.
Seeing everyone’s intense gazes fixed on her, even the lively and bold Xue Bingbing couldn’t help but shrink back a little.
Xue Yining smiled gently. "How does the Harmony feel?"
Hearing this, Xue Bingbing grinned and nodded repeatedly. "It feels so strange and wonderful!"
Another Snow Maiden, Xue Ling’Er, smiled. "It certainly is strange and wonderful. Your Ice and Snow True Qi feels..."
Then they saw Xue Bingbing extend her hand. An Ice Cone, containing both an endless frost and a profound aura, suddenly materialized in her palm.
The Ice Cone spun, its surface coalescing and dispersing. Its frosty air wafted about, both chilling and invigorating.
It exuded both a lethal chill and a coolness that cleared one’s Divine Soul.
Xue Ling’Er was speechless.
She was also a great expert with several hundred years of Dao Practice. How could she not sense that the Ice and Snow Magical Power contained within that Ice Cone had already surpassed her own, both in purity and profundity?
Xue Bingbing said excitedly, "Daluo Palace’s Taoist True Qi is so wondrous! It’s natural and vast. I can even sense a concept of ice and snow within it that contains both life and death. It’s a huge help to my cultivation!"
Taoist Shen Hao stroked his beard. "The *Shangqing Great Cave Scripture* contains the changes of the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—and the cycle of life and death.
"Winter inherits the desolation of autumn and connects to the vitality of spring. It inherently contains the transformation from life to death, and from death back to life.
"Above the ice and snow, all things perish, symbolizing death. Beneath the ice and snow, all things begin to sprout, symbolizing life."
Looking at Xue Bingbing, Taoist Shen Hao nodded in satisfaction. "To be able to comprehend the True Meaning of Ice and Snow—of winter’s turn in the seasons and its transformation between life and death—so quickly from the Shangqing Dharma Gate... Bingbing’s aptitude is extraordinary. This is truly worthy of congratulations."
Xue Yining, Xue Ling’Er, and the other escort, Xue Lin, looked at each other in utter disbelief.
They were all from the Snow Maiden lineage of Snow God Mountain. Born of ice and snow, to die in ice and snow, they were natural, pure elites of ice and snow—the world’s foremost experts at wielding it.
’But how could it be that their own comprehension of ice and snow was inferior to that of a group of Mages who didn’t even cultivate it?’