Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds

Gu Zhao welcomed back the old Daoists on the first day, and on the second, he received a formal invitation from Snow God Mountain.

The invitation was delivered by Xue Yining. The snow-white card was adorned with crystalline, translucent snowflake patterns, and on it were written a few simple words.

The card seemed ordinary, but it was cold to the touch and made of a material that was neither paper nor silk. A cool, icy aura that cleared the mind and calmed the spirit seemed to flow from it, through the holder’s hand and straight into their Dantian Sea of Consciousness, leaving them feeling thoroughly refreshed.

"Xue Feishuang?" Gu Zhao said, looking at the name on the card. "Who is she?"

"She is the great-granddaughter of the Snow Goddess, Xue Bingbing’s mother, the current Mountain Master of Snow God Mountain, and she’s known as Lady Frost." Ye Ruyan, standing beside him, was utterly speechless.

In terms of fame, Lady Frost of Snow God Mountain was indeed not as well-known as the Celestial True Monarch of Chaoyang Island. But this was only because Yongzhou, where Chaoyang Island was located, was closer to the Central Plains, and its disciples were more ostentatious than those from Snow God Mountain.

When it came to actual Dao Practice and power, both were the current leaders of major world powers, each backed by an ancestor with Ten Thousand Years of Dao Practice. With such deep foundations, each dominated an entire prefecture, and it was hard to say which of them was stronger.

"Well now, for her to come visit our mountain in person... she’s certainly showing us a great deal of respect!" Gu Zhao mused, flipping the invitation over. "But why would she come all this way herself?"

"Xue Bingbing is her daughter," Zhuo Qingyan reminded him from the side.

Gu Zhao clicked his tongue. "You don’t think she’s here to propose a marriage, do you?"

"It’s very likely," Bi Yingying chimed in. "Taoist Zhan Qing brought Xue Bingbing up the mountain last time, after all."

Bi Yingying was referring to the siege of Yun Fei’ang. The great battle had supposedly taken place at the Daluo Palace headquarters. Some Daoists had gone to Shanzhou to clean up the aftermath, while others who were closer to Changping Prefecture had returned to spectate.

Taoist Xu Ning, Changyi, Yangshuo, and Zhan Qing were among the group that returned to watch. Xue Bingbing had come back with them and had stayed at Daluo Palace for quite a while, getting to know the women there.

Chen Zhi shot Gu Zhao a sidelong glance. "From what I can see, Elder Zhan Qing and Miss Xue are mutually interested. Daluo Palace has a heritage passed down from the Spirit Realm Upper Gods, with profound roots and a deep foundation. It wouldn’t be surprising for Snow God Mountain to come proposing a marriage."

...

The next day, Xue Feishuang ascended the mountain.

Her arrival was formal, and Gu Zhao’s reception was appropriately grand.

As it happened, the many old Daoists were present. Thus, Taoist Jing Hong and Taoist Jing Fa welcomed her at the Cyan Dragon Mountain Gate, Taoist Qingyuan and Taoist Qingwei awaited her in the Spirit Official Hall, Taoist Jing Feng and Jing Chun Taoist stood by in the Four Imperial Lords Hall, and Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Yan Ling greeted her at the Jade Emperor Hall.

Watching the woman in white with a cool, aloof air stroll closer, Gu Zhao raised his hands in a salute. "Greetings, Lady Frost!"

"Greetings, Gu Palace Master." Xue Feishuang returned the salute with a smile. "Daluo Palace is a land of outstanding talents, its might is truly majestic. It is worthy of its heritage from the Spirit Realm Upper Gods."

"You’re too kind, Lady Frost. This way, please!" Gu Zhao ushered Xue Feishuang into the Three Pristine Hall, where they took their respective seats as host and guest.

Xue Feishuang glanced at Zhuo Qingyan, who was seated beside Gu Zhao and had less than five hundred years of Dao Practice. Her eyes flickered for a moment before she broke into a captivating smile and turned back to Gu Zhao. "Regarding my daughter and your sect’s Fang Zhanqing, Yining has already told me of Gu Palace Master’s attitude."

"I am very impressed by your open-mindedness, Palace Master," Xue Feishuang said.

"Thank you for your understanding, Lady Frost," Gu Zhao said with a smile.

"Now that the two of them are traveling together as heroes and are mutually in love, I believe it’s time to put their marriage on the agenda," Xue Feishuang continued. "After all, once they are in Harmony, their cultivation will progress much faster, which will benefit them both."

Gu Zhao smiled and nodded.

The old Daoists of Daluo Palace had actually studied the matter of Harmony. It was somewhat similar to the Dual Cultivation of Divine Soul, where Divine Soul Communication would accelerate one’s cultivation and the flow of Magical Power.

In other words, the spirit moves with intention, and intention moves the qi.

Strictly speaking, it didn’t affect the Daoist’s own cultivation. If they so wished, they could choose not to facilitate the flow of Magical Power at all.

However, the Harmony Mages of the past didn’t practice Taoist True Qi. Their Magical Power was far weaker than that of the Demons and Ghosts they entered into Harmony with, so they relied on Demon Power and Yin Qi to advance their cultivation. Why would they ever refuse?

Besides, Demon Power had its own advantages. It possessed its own elemental properties and was wild by nature. If properly combined with Taoist True Qi, it could produce unexpected and wonderful effects.

That was why Zhan Qing was actually somewhat tempted.

’It’s not because Xue Bingbing has a great personality and is gorgeous, of course. It’s mainly to scout a new path for the Daluo Palace Taoist Skill.’

Changyi of the Celestial Master’s Mansion: "You’re shameless!"

Yangshuo of the Pure Yang Sect: "You’re despicable!"

Jingyi of the Pure Sect: "You’re just horny for her!"

Zhan Qing of Sanmao Mountain: "I’m not! I didn’t! Don’t talk nonsense!"

The newly arrived young Daoist, Xiu Ming from the Spiritual Treasure Sect of Ge Xuan Mountain, asked via voice transmission, "Senior Brother, Senior Brother! Can you teach me? I want to marry a Snow Maiden too!"

Everyone: "..."

"Just focus on your cultivation!" Changyi advised him. "Once your cultivation is high enough, forget Banshees, even a Female Ghost isn’t out of the question. Just look at the Sect Leader..."

Xiu Ming’s eyes widened as he asked in disbelief, "You don’t mean Ye Ruyan, Miaoyun Princess, Bi Yingying, Chen Zhi, He Cailian, Xu Sirou, the Silk Embroideress, and Bai Ke... are all...?"

Changyi’s face was a mask of innocence. "You all are my witnesses! I didn’t say a thing!"

No one knows who snitched, but in any case, Changyi and Xiu Ming ended up returning to the modern world for a ten-day vacation.

...

Bringing the topic back to the matter at hand, Gu Zhao had long been mentally prepared for the marriage between Zhan Qing and Xue Bingbing. However, he had always assumed that after they fell in love and confirmed their relationship, he would be the one to go to Snow God Mountain to propose the marriage on Zhan Qing’s behalf.

After all, while Daluo Palace had the backing of the Spirit Realm Upper Gods, Snow God Mountain had the Snow Goddess, one of the most powerful figures in the world, presiding over it.

He never expected Xue Feishuang to come in person.

’Could it be that the matter of the sixteen old Daoists traveling to the Southern Border to annihilate Red Moon Valley has caught her attention?’

"What you say is reasonable, Lady Frost," Gu Zhao said, nodding with a smile. "As it happens, in a few days, Daluo Palace will be holding its New Year’s Grand Rite. Why don’t you stay with us for a couple of days? I’ll summon Zhan Qing and the others back, and after the rite, we can discuss the details."

"Very well," Xue Feishuang agreed with a nod and a smile.

’I know that Incense and Candle Sects always hold events on specific holidays to manifest miracles and absorb the incense smoke from their followers. I suppose Daluo Palace is similar,’ she thought, so she wasn’t surprised.

Thus, Xue Feishuang took up temporary residence in Daluo Palace. As she was the Mountain Master of Snow God Mountain, Gu Zhao naturally accompanied her, with Zhuo Qingyan and Ye Ruyan by his side.

One was the Palace Master’s Wife, and the other was the Guardian Star Official with the highest cultivation. Both being women, their presence was perfectly suitable.

As the day drew near, numerous local gentry, wealthy merchants, and powerful dignitaries from across Jiangzhou began to arrive one after another, taking up lodging in Cui Mountain Town. Seeing the constant raising of Banners and the curling incense smoke within Daluo Palace, they couldn’t help but reveal looks of anticipation.

A strange look appeared in Xue Feishuang’s eyes. Even during the New Year’s Grand Ceremony of the Xuanwei Divine Sect back in the day, which had been a massive affair with countless mortals, the people had never shown this kind of expression.

She was curious but didn’t ask. She would simply wait for the new year to arrive and see just how this New Year’s Grand Rite of Daluo Palace differed from the Xuanwei Divine Sect’s New Year’s sacrificial ceremony.

But before the New Year’s Grand Rite arrived, she witnessed the arrival of numerous Demons and Ghosts from Shanzhou, Yongzhou, Yazhou, Wuya Ridge, the An Tai Mountain Range, and even Wanling Jiangbei, all coming one after another to offer their New Year’s congratulations.