Chapter Sixty-Two: A Fortuitous Encounter with the Alchemist

After Xue Bo left, Hua Feng slowly attuned himself to the Hunyuan Unity Staff, feeling its summons. This object, as if imbued with life, radiated a familiar aura—one he seemed to have known before—drawing Hua Feng into deep immersion until he lost all sense of time.

Yunmeng simply stood by, quietly keeping watch over him, not disturbing his concentration. The two practiced their cultivation in silence, exchanging only a few words from time to time, as the moments slipped by.

Early the next morning, Yunmeng and Hua Feng went together to bid farewell to the Snow Lord. The grand hall was as empty as before; Snow Lord and Xue Bo were playing a game of Go.

The only sound in the air was the clack of stones striking the board. Hua Feng and Yunmeng stood to one side, waiting patiently.

After a long while, the Snow Lord finally raised his head to look at Hua Feng, his gaze serene yet all-seeing, as though nothing could escape his notice.

“I entrust Xiaomeng to you. Young people must go through trials to grow. Protect her well, and protect yourself—for the sake of your family, and for her. The world outside is wondrous, but also full of unknowns and dangers. Many things are not as simple as you imagine. No matter which side you belong to, I hope we may become family, not enemies.”

As the Snow Lord spoke, Xue Bo stood up and quietly took his place beside him.

Yunmeng’s face lit up with unexpected delight. It seemed the Snow Lord had known their intentions all along; he had simply been waiting for them to bid their farewells.

“Please rest assured, if anyone wishes to harm Xiaomeng, they’ll have to step over my dead body first. I will remember your words, Uncle. I’ll be cautious, and build my strength steadily before making my move.” Hua Feng was also pleasantly surprised by the Snow Lord’s ready consent. Perhaps such wisdom and open-mindedness were common to all who had attained great cultivation.

“Don’t be too quick to celebrate. If Xiaomeng suffers any harm because of you, I’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth and make you pay for it!” This time, the Snow Lord spoke with the full force of his Primordial Saint’s aura. The pressure was so intense that Hua Feng could barely breathe. If the Primordial Qi stage was a mountain, then he was only halfway up, while the Snow Lord stood at its very peak—a being who had long since surpassed the level of a Primordial Saint!

“Father? What are you doing?” Yunmeng’s heart tightened at the sight of Hua Feng caught beneath the Snow Lord’s overwhelming presence.

In the vast, empty hall, Hua Feng’s bones creaked audibly. Though he struggled valiantly to endure, beads of sweat the size of soybeans broke out on his brow. It was as though he faced a mountain crashing down from the sky—an irresistible force he had no hope of defying. Hua Feng deeply disliked the feeling.

“Don’t worry, Miss. If this lad can’t withstand even this much pressure, he’s not fit to be the son-in-law of the Snow Region!” Xue Bo remarked lightly from the side.

“But—”

“Xiaomeng, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I can hold out.” Though it felt as though the mountain would soon crush him into paste, Hua Feng gritted his teeth and persisted. Even knowing it was almost impossible, he refused to yield—this concerned his dignity as a man, Yunmeng’s trust, and whether they had a future together.

While comforting Yunmeng, Hua Feng summoned all his inner strength to withstand the tide-like pressure.

A quarter of an hour passed. Just as Hua Feng felt his strength finally giving out, the force bearing down on him abruptly vanished. The swirling Taiji diagram within him, on the verge of exploding, spun freely once more, the pressure from the twin inner elixirs dissipating in an instant.

He exhaled a long breath, steadied himself, and faced the Snow Lord’s eagle-sharp gaze.

“Hua Feng, are you alright?” Yunmeng hurried over, supporting the trembling Hua Feng, who looked as though he might collapse at any moment.

“I’m fine,” he replied, pushing away her hand, determined to stand upright on his own. Suddenly, he realized how much more he needed to grow. The power he’d once dreamed of had become his, but in the presence of the Snow Lord’s absolute strength, even the status of Primordial Emperor—once an unattainable summit—seemed insignificant. There was always a higher mountain.

He was still weak. Where once he’d felt some confidence, now Hua Feng found his self-assurance shaken. After so much relentless training, was there truly no way to resist before a Primordial Saint?

“That’s enough. I won’t waste more words. Young man, I only wanted you to understand: the power of a Primordial Emperor is truly nothing in the grand scheme of things. This world is vast, the universe boundless. There are too many unknowns—never let arrogance blind you into thinking you are invincible. Remember, there is always a higher mountain; things are often more powerful and complex than you imagine!”

“Father, Hua Feng…” Yunmeng was at a loss for words. Though the Snow Lord spoke for her sake, she could not bear to see Hua Feng suffer—no matter who the cause.

“Xue Bo, see them to the border.”

With nothing more to say, the Snow Lord dismissed them. Xue Bo obeyed and led the way.

The sun rose, the snow and rain at last abating. Hua Feng and Yunmeng walked hand in hand along the mountain road. He felt that life was beautiful: the sky was so blue, the water so clear, the people so lovely.

Everything was just as he had dreamed it would be.

Beyond the Greater Khingan Mountains, there was a place called the Dragon Gate Inn. A familiar figure appeared before Hua Feng and Yunmeng.

“Alliance Leader Danqiu?” they called out in unison.