Liou Yuan first met Xie Miaobo in Yanhe City and immediately knew he was sharp.

That one sentence pinpointed the intentions of Liou Yuan and Qiu Ming. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Their struggle for the rights to this hut area was precisely because it was rich in star energy, allowing for faster strength enhancement.

Ultimately, it was all for the rewards of merit points from Five Extremes Mountain.

"Hah!" Liou Yuan chuckled coldly upon hearing this, stopping in front of that spiritual ribbon.

He didn’t tear apart the magic ribbon blocking his path.

His gaze focused on the other end of the ribbon.

Qiu Ming, too, had stopped alongside him.

In truth, neither Liou Yuan nor Qiu Ming had absolute confidence in defeating the other.

Even if one won, it wouldn’t be without cost.

However, Qiu Ming, having suffered at Liou Yuan’s hands before, was clearly not reconciled.

Liou Yuan could see the strong dissatisfaction on Qiu Ming’s rugged face through the ribbon.

He heard Qiu Ming gruffly say, "Unfamiliar with your tricks, I’ve been disadvantaged. Don’t think I truly can’t defeat you."

Liou Yuan, never being at a loss for words, sneered, "Little master has plenty of tricks; you’re welcome to try each one."

Though their words were defiant, neither Liou Yuan nor Qiu Ming had any intention of further fighting.

Xie Miaobo sighed in relief, retracted the ribbon he had condensed with his spiritual power, muttering to himself, "Both are tough characters; if they really fight, it won’t be easy to manage."

Xie Miaobo was a man of integrity.

He remembered his agreement with Liou Yuan and didn’t want Liou Yuan harmed, delaying his cultivation.

Both parties took a step back.

Liou Yuan’s side truly meant Qiu Ming couldn’t make any move.

Having taken a major loss, Qiu Ming swaggered to the hilltop, to the last hut.

It was the dwelling of the chubby He Rui.

Faced with He Rui’s expression of bitter helplessness, Qiu Ming simply walked into the hut and shut the door.

Qiu Ming’s loud voice came from inside.

"I’ve taken over this hut; Fatty, if you’re not happy, come find me anytime."

He Rui, having witnessed the formidable character firsthand, dared not say another word, smiling bitterly, "As long as you feel comfortable living here."

Liou Yuan was equally displeased.

Though he had driven Qiu Ming back, his own hut was destroyed by a Lion’s Roar Spell during his confrontation with Qiu Ming.

Looking back at the collapsed remains of the roof, Liou Yuan cursed, "Stupid big idiot with a plague."

His voice carried far over the hilltop, unmasked.

Qiu Ming, already indoors, could naturally hear but pretended not to.

Despite his seemingly nonchalant demeanor, having taken a Lion’s Roar Spell from Liou Yuan head-on certainly wasn’t so easy.

As soon as he returned to the hut, he collapsed onto the bed, coughed up blood, his mouth stained, eyes like copper bells showing unease, musing, "What kind of bizarre magic is this? So unreasonable!"

As for the other disciples, they were even less likely to speak.

Looking at the figure cursing in front of the hut ruins, all eyes held caution, with an added respect compared to before.

To spar with a Five-Star Star Acupoint, Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer genius and come out ahead.

The young man named Liou Yuan was certainly no simple character.

"What’s his name again?"

"Liou Yuan."

"By the way, do any of you know his Star Acupoint level?"

Below the hill, the disciples who had been watching the drama started whispering about Liou Yuan’s details.

No one present knew how many stars his Star Acupoint had.

Even Fu Xueping, who had come out first from the stone chamber, didn’t know; naturally, they couldn’t be expected to know.

Fu Xueping, seeing Xie Miaobo and Liou Yuan close, naturally asked too.

It was no surprise Xie Miaobo didn’t know, so he shrugged and replied, "I really don’t know."

"I can only tell you..."

Lowering his voice, Xie Miaobo barely audibly mentioned ’Liou Zhen.’

Fu Xueping’s expression immediately turned solemn.

"Turns out he’s the brother of the Snow Shattering Sword, no wonder."

Thus, the farce concluded.

There were only two victims at the scene: one being the chubby He Rui, driven from his hut, the other Liou Yuan, whose hut had collapsed.

Yet, through this battle, all the disciples knew a Five-Star Star Acupoint genius had emerged among them.

His name was Qiu Ming.

And due to his performance in this battle, the young man named Liou Yuan was especially remembered by everyone.

No one knew his background, only that he could spar with the Five-Star Star Acupoint Qiu Ming without losing.

Adding a touch of mystery.

With the excitement over, the disciples who had enjoyed the spectacle returned to their huts.

In the following year, cultivation will delve both superficially and deeply.

The rivalry between Liou Yuan and Qiu Ming is nothing more than a condiment for their monotonous lives.

They wish to establish themselves at Five Extremes Mountain, and this year’s chance to earn merit points is not to be missed.

No one noticed the presence of two figures clad in moon-white silk robes, observing the battle between Liou Yuan and Qiu Ming in silence from the lush bamboo forest opposite the straw cottages on the mountain slopes.

Judging by their appearances, one of them happened to be Fang Yu, who left right after placing Qiu Ming on the hill.

It was unexpected that he hadn’t actually gone far.

The other person was remarkably handsome, with a jade hairpin adorning his head, possessing a demeanor as cold as a wintry mountain.

It was none other than Liou Zhen, who vanished after delivering Liou Yuan and the others to Broken Dust Valley.

"Witnessing your brother’s splendor today reminds me of you, Brother Liou, from years ago."

"Back then, you too were so sharp, suppressing your peers to the point where they’d tremble upon hearing your name."

Fang Yu, still facing away, chuckled while viewing the furious Liou Yuan among the straw cottage ruins, remarking, "Now, that headstrong individual has become the renowned Snow Shattering Sword of Five Extremes Mountain."

Liou Zhen replied slowly and serenely, his voice tinged with frigidity, "Back in those days, the young man adept at concealing his edge now stands beside his brother."

"Hah!" Fang Yu smiled faintly, his tone subtly shifting to caution.

"Do you know what your younger brother asked me yesterday?"

Fang Yu candidly recounted Liou Yuan’s actions from the previous day to Liou Zhen.

"Brother, I’ve been at Five Extremes Mountain for nearly twenty years, guiding many junior disciples. Only your brother dared on the day of his initiation... ."

"Exhibiting one’s sharpness is good, but easily broken if overly apparent. You’ve learned from your past mistakes; don’t let this young man repeat them."

Liou Zhen seemed indifferent, responding with an intriguing look, countering, "Brother Fang, have you seen a Shadow Eagle raising its young?"

Fang Yu became momentarily dumbfounded, shaking his head instinctively.

Liou Zhen gazed at Liou Yuan atop the hill, speaking softly, "They drop their young from great heights; some break wings, some perish instantly."

"A brood of Shadow Eagles harbors only one or two survivors."

"Yet, those that survive soar through the skies, preying on wolves, tigers, and leopards, and battling Star Evil."

Liou Zhen didn’t directly address Fang Yu’s words, offering this tale as his answer.

Hearing this, Fang Yu’s eyelids twitched, subtly remarking, "You’re sure he’s the one to survive in that brood, not afraid he’ll die from the fall."

"I’m not certain," Liou Zhen’s eyes suddenly flashing, continued: "But I must hold steadfast, throwing him down, awaiting the moment he can soar across the heavens."

"I can’t protect him for a lifetime. Once on this path, one must be prepared."

Despite knowing his brother’s disposition for more than a decade, Fang Yu still couldn’t help but feel a chill after hearing Liou Zhen’s teaching method for his brother, mentally remarking, "Truly merciless! And to his own brother no less."

Yet recalling the hardships Liou Zhen faced over the years, Fang Yu sighed, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"No wonder he turned out this way."

Fang Yu remembered something else, voicing his doubts casually: "Your brother’s cultivation reached the Qi Cultivation Third Layer in less than a year and today fiercely clashed with Qiu Ming, possessing a Five-Star Earth Acupoint. His talent clearly exceeds the assessment threshold, so why conceal his true strength instead of letting him officially enter the sect?"

"Though minor, if thoroughly investigated, we might end up facing repercussions."

Liou Zhen merely shook his head without explanation.

He was well aware of his brother’s aptitude.

Despite feeling surprised by the cultivation speed, it was nonetheless just a One-Star Water Acupoint.

To Liou Zhen, Liou Yuan’s rapid cultivation pace and acquiring the Lion’s Roar Spell could be attributed to some serendipity found in Yanhe City.

Liou Zhen remained silent, and Fang Yu didn’t press further, his cheerful smile offering reassurance: "It’s not really a big issue. Seeing Liou Yuan’s strength today eases my mind a bit; he’s definitely above the assessment threshold."

"If investigated, I’d claim a brief lapse in judgment, resulting in merely two days of penal meditation."

"Still..." Fang Yu paused thoughtfully, informing Liou Zhen with an offhand tone.

"The Liou Family also sent a child this year, of similar age to your brother, possessing a talent matching Qiu Ming’s Five-Star Star Acupoint, even stronger than him."

The Liou Family Fang Yu spoke of wasn’t related to Liou Zhen’s family in Yanhe City.

That Liou Family was a taboo to Liou Zhen.

Fang Yu dared not mention it directly, subtly hinting instead.

Liou Zhen’s expression remained unchanged, his tone calm and resolute: "The Liou Family will ultimately become stepping stones for my brother and me. Since they sent someone this year, let this young fellow hone my brother’s blade."

Liou Zhen would cultivate Liou Yuan his own way.

Despite Fang Yu’s growing sympathy for Liou Yuan, he genuinely liked the young man, akin to how he once favored Liou Zhen.

Both brothers possess resilience and determination, harsher on themselves.

"Brother, tonight you’re heading to the Jin Dynasty’s Imperial Capital, which may take months back and forth."

"I’ll trouble Brother Fang to look after little Yuan."

Liou Zhen’s tone earnest, he finished his words gazing at Fang Yu, awaiting his reply.

"What are you saying? We share a life-long bond," Fang Yu laughed heartily, waving his hand: "Apart from elsewhere, here on the fifth peak, no one can touch a hair on your brother."

"Good!" Liou Zhen nodded slightly, acknowledging with a word of approval, his figure before Fang Yu suddenly twisting, vanishing with the breeze in the mountain.

Leaving Fang Yu contemplating, softly mumbling: "The Jin Dynasty and our Five Extremes Mountain have always respected each other’s boundaries, maintaining courtesy. Never before have they dispatched their royal treasures off to other sects."

"Why suddenly this change of attitude this year, and specifically requesting Liou Zhen to pick them up?"

Fang Yu pondered but could not think it through.

After a final glance at the hill, he too quietly departed the place.