The wind of deep winter blew in slowly, bringing rain with it.
Chen Xia held a small oil paper umbrella, standing in a pavilion, leaning slightly against a pillar. There was no need for an umbrella inside the pavilion. But having one created a poetic mood.
The howling wind through the corridor brought rain and snow, which Chen Xia single-handedly blocked and held in his hand, gently caressing it with his fingers.
The snow turned into water. It was hard to say whether it was rain or snow.
Chen Xia's fingers were soaked. He flicked them lightly on the edge of the teacup, putting the entirety of deep winter into the cup.
He lifted the teacup, still holding the umbrella.
The wind and snow gradually grew stronger, even blowing into the pavilion.
So Chen Xia's umbrella became useful, though not very useful. The violent wind and snow still poured into the pavilion, falling everywhere.
The teacup was raised high. Chen Xia tilted his head back slightly and drank it all in one go.
He put today's snow, all of it, into his stomach.
The howling wind and snow outside stopped abruptly, as if it had all been drunk up. For a while, no more rain or snow fell.
Chen Xia put away the oil paper umbrella, leaving it in the pavilion.
His steps were unhurried, his lone figure desolate.
The white snow stained on the oil paper umbrella melted and dripped down, leaving drops in the pavilion.
The wind and snow suddenly grew strong again, the vast whiteness burying Chen Xia's departing figure from sight.
He was a passerby of deep winter.
And more than just deep winter.
The formal disciples discovered something.
It seemed Chen Xia didn't really like going out. And he was not as ferocious as the rumors said.
Nothing about loving to eat cultivators' Yuan Ying, taking cultivators' Golden Core as marbles, and beheading people at the slightest disagreement.
Those were completely baseless.
So much time had passed, yet no news was heard of Chen Xia beheading anyone or eating someone's Yuan Ying.
No mysterious disappearances were heard in the sect either.
The formal disciples felt the rumors had exaggerated Chen Xia's scariness. Perhaps he did have a bad temper, but loving to eat Yuan Ying and take Golden Cores was going too far.
As for beheading people at the slightest disagreement, they'd have to ask Qiong Qi's opinion on that.
Unfortunately, they couldn't ask.
"I said there's no way such a ferocious existence could be in Blue Sky Sword Sea. If he really loved eating Yuan Ying and taking Golden Cores, wouldn't we disciples have been killed by him already?" A disciple remarked.
"Indeed. And have you noticed the black ring on his hand? Do you know what that is?" Another disciple asked.
"Chen Xia said it was some kind of medal, though he didn't say which one."
"Rubbish medal. The elder leaked that it's something Blue Sky Sword Sea uses to restrain disciples who have made grave mistakes, restricting Chen Xia from harming other disciples."
"So Chen Xia is just a paper tiger now?"
"Exactly, so we needn't fear him too much. Just treat him the same as before. Don't intentionally provoke him, but if he comes to stir up trouble, we aren't afraid either."
As the disciples conversed to this point, their excitement grew, eyes bright with anticipation.
"How many people know about this information now?"
"Shouldn't be too many. It is insider information from the elders that I paid a price to obtain, in order to gain an advantage."
What advantage?
Naturally their old trade - collecting spirit stones from probationary disciples.
Previously, fearing Chen Xia's notoriety, they hadn't dared to go to the probationary disciples' area to collect spirit stones, afraid for their lives.
But now knowing Chen Xia was just a paper tiger, they could no longer hold back, ready to take action.
Those who can eat their fill are often the first to pick up their chopsticks.
They wanted to be this kind of person. Their faces now showed smiles, already planning to earn a huge profit.
If Chen Xia dared to come obstruct them, they would not be afraid either, and would be sure to teach him a good lesson.
Even King Yama would fall silent hearing their thoughts.
Within the cave dwelling.
Chen Xia yawned. He felt in recent days his heart had subtle ripples, as if some people were missing him.
He just didn't know who was so kind-hearted.
He stretched lazily again, neatly arranging the chess pieces on the table. Then he opened the door, preparing to go out for a stroll.
The current situation in Blue Sky Sword Sea was peaceful. Many elders rarely came out into the world. Among the formal disciples, there was little news of promising talents.
The only ones still making a name for themselves were Emperor Capital and Qiu Li, who had just become formal disciples last term.
To establish themselves among the formal disciples, they couldn't just cultivate in seclusion like others, but had to build up their own factions and be on good terms with some elders.
This was the conflict between factions.
Before promising talents truly rose, they had to rely on some external aid.
Someone as abnormal as Chen Xia was truly one of a kind.
The formal disciples showed signs of taking action against the probationary disciples again, not just collecting spirit stones, but also demarcating territories.
For example, you collect stones from these probationary disciples, I'll collect from those ones, and we won't conflict. We prosper together.
The probationary disciples had no choice but to be divvied up like pigs, sheep, and silkworms, obediently handing over spirit stones.
But among them there were also exceptions who were not so weak and obedient.
Li Yang for example. She began publicly opposing the formal disciples' exploitation and extortion, refusing to hand over spirit stones.
Who was Li Yang? A promising talent at the Peak of Lifting Mountains realm. She had the right not to give spirit stones. The formal disciples also didn't plan on collecting stones from Li Yang.
After all, promising talents in Blue Sky Sword Sea were special cases with this privilege and strength.
These formal disciples coming to collect stones were all peak Lifting Mountains realm. If they fought Li Yang, an early Lifting Mountains realm cultivator, victory would not be certain.
So the formal disciples didn't say anything at first. If Li Yang didn't hand over stones, then so be it.
But the problem was the members of Li Yang's alliance also didn't hand over stones.
If it was just ten or twenty alliance members not handing over, it could be let go, since associating with a promising talent was also a privilege.
But there were over a hundred people in this alliance!
And more and more probationary disciples were joining Li Yang's alliance, refusing to give formal disciples spirit stones.
Li Yang's alliance was now the largest organization among probationary disciples, overshadowing the rest.
Moreover, she stated that all probationary disciples in her alliance would receive her protection.
The price was handing over some spirit stones as membership fees, far less than what formal disciples demanded.
The probationary disciples were happy to pay.
But the formal disciples were unhappy. Li Yang was blocking their business and taking it over herself.
If she had only blocked a little, it could be overlooked. But looking at it now, she planned to eat it all alone.
So some formal disciples spoke up.
"Collecting spirit stones was proposed by many senior brothers. Li Yang, isn't it rather disrespectful to claim it all for yourself?"
Li Yang also replied.
"Which senior brother proposed it? Have him come discuss it with me directly."
And so, on a sunny day, fifteen formal disciples arrived at the probationary disciples' area.
With Supreme Race taking the lead, wanting to have a talk with Li Yang.