“Right now you know how to talk about loyalty, why didn’t you use your brain before doing anything? Was the meal at the Green Bamboo Residence a waste? Didn’t you see Uncle Nine looking at that kid differently? How dare you still target him!”

Liu Songshan was furious.

“But, but hasn’t Uncle Nine already…”

“Shut up!”

Before Zhou Gu could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Liu Songshan.

“Can you call Uncle Nine? He is the senior ancestor of the Qingxuan Sect!”

Liu Songshan lowered his voice, his eyes filled with panic.

“Yes, yes!”

Zhou Gu nodded repeatedly in fear.

“Master, my brother and I were indeed wrong in this matter, and we are willing to accept any punishment.”

At this moment, the silent Zuo Ju also knelt down beside Zhou Gu.

“Big brother, this matter has nothing to do with you. I can handle it alone!”

Zhou Gu looked at Zuo Ju anxiously.

“Can you handle it?”

Liu Songshan gave Zhou Gu a cold look.

“This matter has already been inquired about by the people from the Seventh Peak. It’s already good enough that you two can leave the mountain alive.”

He then glared at the two of them.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Gu immediately deflated and stopped arguing.

If someone from the mountain personally inquired about this matter, then even Liu Songshan would have no way to protect them.

“Master, in consideration of the many years we have followed you, before we leave, can you tell us who Xu Taiping’s backer really is?”

Zuo Ju couldn’t help but ask Liu Songshan about his doubts.

In his opinion, if Xu Taiping didn’t have a background, the people on the mountain would never investigate this matter.

“Yes, I can’t figure it out either. Clearly, Uncle Nine and Bai Hong are no longer here, so why is someone still helping him?”

Zhou Gu also asked.

“Do you think I don’t want to know?”

Liu Songshan gave the two of them a stern look.

“And, who told you that Uncle Nine is no longer here?”

He lowered his voice and continued.

“Uncle Nine and Bai Hong are still alive?!”

“Didn’t they say that the Demon Lord of the Greedy Wolf Country had appeared?”

Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju were both astonished.

“Never mind, you two are leaving the mountain soon, so there’s no harm in telling you.”

Liu Songshan shook his head, then looked at the two of them with a serious expression.

“Just received a secret report from the Cloudy Pavilion. Not only did Uncle Nine return alive from the Northern Territory, he also killed the Demon Lord and severed the roots of the Greedy Wolf Country.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Gu and Zuo Ju immediately looked at each other, as if they couldn’t believe their ears.

“So, you two leaving the mountain at this time might not be a bad thing. You can also help me take care of the affairs of the Seven Swords Villa. If the matter of the Wind Valley is not handled well, I might have to return to the Seven Swords Villa one day.”

Liu Songshan crouched down and whispered to the two of them.

“Yes!”

The two of them, with a look of horror, nodded in unison.

…

A few days later.

Green Bamboo Residence.

“Squeak…”

Xu Taiping, with a bow and arrow on his back, a long knife hanging from his waist, and a gourd, closed the courtyard door of the Green Bamboo Residence and added a lock to it.

Tomorrow is the first round of the Dragon Gate Meeting for the selection of the Seventh Peak. He had to hurry to the Dragon Gate Hall.

“Chirp…”

A little monkey, hidden in his cloak, popped out.

“I’m taking you out this time. Be good and stay in the gourd when there are many people, understand?”

Xu Taiping patted the monkey’s head and smiled.

Although spiritual pets were not uncommon in the Yunlu Mountain, he was still a little worried about malicious people, so he chose to bring the little monkey with him.

“Understood!”

The little monkey obediently nodded.

“Boom!”

At that moment, an Immortal Crane descended from the sky, and a strong wind was stirred up at the gate of the small courtyard as it flapped its wings.

“Xu Taiping of the Green Bamboo Residence, the day of the Dragon Gate Meeting is approaching. Hurry and follow me to the Dragon Gate Hall.”

The Immortal Crane said with a slightly arrogant tone, craning its neck.

“Thank you.”

Xu Taiping arched his hand to the Immortal Crane, then lightly stepped on the ground and landed lightly on the back of the Immortal Crane.

“It’s been three years. When I first came to the Yunlu Mountain, the first sect I arrived at was the Dragon Gate Hall, where I was identified as the White Spirit Bone and unable to become a disciple on the mountain.”

Looking at the golden sunlight reflecting off the clouds in front of him, Xu Taiping suddenly felt a surge of emotion.

“This time, I will fight for the qualification to enter the mountain by myself.”

He clenched his fist and muttered to himself in a low voice.

…

The next day.

Seventh Peak of the Qingxuan Sect.

Yuanxuan Residence.

This detached courtyard, located on a suspended mountain on the west side of the Seventh Peak, was the Daoist temple of Zhao Linglong’s senior brother, Dugu Qingxiao. Compared to the simple environment of the outer disciples, this place was like a fairyland.

“Senior Brother, why is there still nothing in the Mirror of Mountain Patrol? Little Taiping’s competition is about to begin.”

In the bamboo forest in the backyard, Zhao Linglong, who had changed into a green dress, was holding a bronze mirror in her hands, shouting. Her frowning face was reflected in the bronze mirror.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait for me to come before saying anything?”

Qingxiao walked in from the courtyard gate at this time.Trailing behind him was a woman with a graceful figure, as well as a young girl with a stunningly beautiful face.

“Zi Yan sister, Buyu sister!”

Upon seeing the woman and the girl, Zhao Linglong, who had been utterly bored, instantly perked up. She set down the bronze mirror in her hand and flew over the bamboo forest, seated on her fairy silk.

“Linglong sister, it’s been a year since we last met, how have you been?”

Zi Yan smiled at Zhao Linglong.

“How can I be fine? After parting with you last year, I was first confined by father in the Yangxin Pavilion for half a year, and then grounded for another half year over a trivial matter. In the blink of an eye, a whole year of precious time has slipped away.”

Zhao Linglong sighed as she walked and held Zi Yan’s hand.

“Losing a Fire Spirit Sparrow counts as a trivial matter?”

Dugu Qingxiao gave Zhao Linglong a disdainful look.

“Zi Yan sister, you need to control my second Senior Brother. He’s always picking on me for no reason.”

Zhao Linglong shook Zi Yan’s arm as she spoke.

“The matter is already in the past, and Linglong sister has learned her lesson. You shouldn’t keep bringing it up.”

Zi Yan turned her head and smiled gently at Dugu Qingxiao, her eyes so tender they could melt a person.

“I, I understand.”

Dugu Qingxiao was momentarily stunned, then abruptly turned his head away.

Seeing this, Zi Yan’s lips slightly curled up, revealing a smile that hinted at a successful scheme.

“I feel like Buyu sister and I are somewhat superfluous here.”

Zhao Linglong let go of Xu Ziyan’s hand and went to link arms with Lin Buyu.

Hearing this, Qingxiao glared fiercely at Zhao Linglong, while Zi Yan covered her mouth and giggled, then swiftly changed the subject, looking towards Lin Buyu, who had been silent all along:

“By the way, Buyu, do you still remember Xu Taiping, who entered the mountains with you back then?”