[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-watching-the-immortals-fall":3,"chapter-watching-the-immortals-fall-watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-280":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Watching the Immortals Fall",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260153,4410,"Chapter 280: We Are Immortals","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-280",280,"\u003Cp>The furious snowstorm still raged, plunging sky and sun into darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grain carts on the official road pressed through the snow, stopping and starting, swaying left and right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fengzhou had always been a disaster zone, especially the northwestern stretch where the official road ran, buried under deep snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was actually better than most—Fengzhou’s official road had been repaired—but beyond Fengzhou, the other four disaster-stricken states had roads in every imaginable state of ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under extreme cold, near-zero visibility, and unpredictable terrain, the ordinary carters who once formed the backbone of transport were effectively walking through the gates of hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But hearing it was to save lives, some carters still bravely harnessed one cart after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, He Zhang and Qiu Zhong sat in the front hall of Ji Zhai, studying the grain needs versus grain available, their expressions grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if the first batch arrives safely, the carters won’t be able to return empty-handed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, the disaster covers too vast an area. Our Fengzhou transport capacity alone can’t meet the demand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Zhenbei Army were here, it’d be different—but the barbarians of the northern frontier have stirred again. Strange, though: this year, the bitterly cold north didn’t snow at all, yet the Five Cloud Provinces…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Load the carts first. Once loaded, we’ll find someone to drive them. If not, we old men will take the reins ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about the ones outside?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As the Young Master said: no matter what they say, blame it all on him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Zhang and Qiu Zhong lifted their heads, heard the shouting from the front hall, and walked out in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Ji Zhai’s front hall, scions from families across heaven and earth sat furious, radiating killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Qiu Zhong appeared, a sword flashed out with a clang, gleaming coldly, slashing straight for his throat without warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Pei Ruyi in the main hall moved swiftly, drawing his sword to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two blades clashed, a thunderous crack—and the porcelain vases in the hall shattered instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword-wielding cultivator’s eye twitched, his voice boiling with rage: “Do you know all spirit stones in the Qingyun Realm have been cut off? My Young Master is waiting to break through—lose this chance, and who among you can bear the consequence?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Ruyi stared coldly at him: “This was Ji You’s decision. He says he bears all consequences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Him? Hah. Fengzhou has no cultivators—he just got lucky. Does he really think he’s lord of Fengzhou? I advise you to restore spirit stone transport immediately, or… the consequences won’t be yours to bear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The route from the northern frontier to Fengzhou is sealed. The snow is too deep—even if we wanted to transport, it’s impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cultivator’s eyes sharpened instantly: “If transporting spirit stones is hard, how are you moving grain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Zhong bowed his head lower: “After the blizzard, our Fengzhou Road Office cleared one day’s path on the official road—only then could the grain carts leave…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you have a way for grain, use the same way for spirit stones!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Young Master says grain saves lives, spirit stones don’t—so transport is suspended for now. No one, not even you, can override it. If you have a way, go fetch them yourselves in the north.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Zhong bowed, voice hoarse: “We’re merely servants. If the Young Master doesn’t change his mind, even if I yield, the Road Office and the Immortal Supervision won’t cooperate. Immortal Lord, please understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword-wielding cultivator’s face darkened: “So you mean no one in this world can control him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Young Master is a disciple of the Heavenly Book Academy. Unless the Academy intervenes, no clan can touch him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll report your words to my lord. But after this winter, the Ji family will no longer exist in Fengzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other cultivators cast them dark glances, then left Fengzhou’s government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon clans don’t want human silver—they live in snowlands even poorer than Fengzhou, so they demand firewood, rice, oil, salt, hand tools, and such.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This involved massive accounting work, previously handled jointly by Fengzhou and the Immortal Supervision, ensuring smooth demon stone circulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So demon stone transport isn’t just a road problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, most of Fengzhou’s grain output is converted into silver through exchange with demon stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since Ji You’s order, all government offices and the Immortal Supervision are focused on disaster relief—no one is handling this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without goods, the demons won’t give spirit stones. Going to fetch them themselves? Pure nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the simplest way to restore transport is to deal with Ji You first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After deliberation, seeing nightfall, they decided to spend the night at their respective family’s Immortal Estates before reporting back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword-wielding cultivator, Guo Liu, a scion of the Liangzhou Guo family, arrived at the Guo family’s Wanshu Immortal Estate, still muttering curses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several of his cousins—Guo Zixing, Guo Ziyi, Guo Pingrong—sat nearby, snickering occasionally at his complaints, then falling silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Liu ranted for a long time until his throat grew dry, then frowned at them, thinking: Stuck in this backwater, even my mind’s gone dull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Guo Liu’s realm was low—only Condensation—he was still main-line blood, and even on assignment, he received a grand reception at Wanshu Estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ate and drank until deep night, then retired to his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a deep sleep, past midnight, he woke from a bladder ache, rose from bed, and heard movement in the courtyard—he peered out the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the hazy snow night, his cousins crept out of their rooms like thieves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hadn’t planned it together—when they met in the courtyard, they paused, startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they said little, exchanged glances, then left the Immortal Estate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, in a house west of Fengzhou’s government office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang watched his pregnant wife Lanlan sleep, then quietly rose, dressed, and slipped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a collateral branch scion of the Liangzhou Zhang family, mediocre talent since childhood, now only at Condensation. After years cultivating in Fengzhou, he married the commoner Lanlan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, he rarely left her—not even returning to the Immortal Estate. This was his first time deciding to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped out, Lanlan, still on the bed, slowly opened her eyes, watching his departing figure in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d once feared cultivators, trembling at the sight—but after marriage, she found them no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she couldn’t sleep, she looked troubled, nothing mysterious or profound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the snow-laden night, the cold pierced the bone, as if even the moonlight was frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang walked along, passing the wall inscribed: “Born between heaven and earth, one must leave a story for future generations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far off, the grain carts had halted near the granary, not far from the city gate. As he drew closer, he froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized cultivators from other Immortal Estates had also come—some had already harnessed carts, turned to him, their expressions strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Zixing, you’re here too? There won’t be any spirit stones this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going for Brother Rong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, that northwest villager who took us hunting last time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His wife’s about to give birth. We’re cultivators—we’re far stronger than mortals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can call a sickle a crescent blade, harvesting wheat a sword art—but driving carts? Hard to disguise. What’ll you say when you get back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We agreed not to tell anyone, right? After all… we’re all in this together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang couldn’t help a quiet laugh, thinking: We’ll keep fooling ourselves—and climbed onto the cart, gripping the reins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Zixing was also adjusting his reins, glanced at him: “By the way, when’s Lanlan due?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After the New Year, probably.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… don’t plan to return to Liangzhou Zhang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang smiled faintly at the distant snowstorm: “When I was forced to come to Fengzhou, I knew I’d never go back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Zixing fell silent for a long while: “I lived sixteen years in Zhongzhou, thirty-eight in Fengzhou. I shouldn’t dream of returning anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang wrapped the reins once around his right wrist: “Who drives steadier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You lowly cart driver, how dare you speak to me, an Immortal Lord?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, we agreed not to mention the cart driver thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you say you won’t go home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have to go for my parents’ birthday. If the main house finds out, they’ll laugh me to death…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Zixing muttered, then turned to look behind—other voluntary carters were still harnessing carts—and shouted: “Follow us after we leave—we…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pingyang noticed his sudden silence, glanced at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Zixing licked his dry lips: “We are Immortals!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dark night, the Agricultural Inspector waved his hand to check the count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Zhang Pingyang pulled the reins and shouted, “Giddup!”—the grain convoy plunged into the snow-laden night before dawn, faces heavy with gravity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, to ensure safety, the Road Office cleared the entire official road for a full day, barely sending off the first grain convoy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But another heavy snow fell at dusk—likely burying the road ahead again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fengzhou had designed the grain carts with snow in mind, so the wheels were made extra large.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, deep snow still posed a severe test for the horses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, soon after the second convoy left Fengzhou, the road ahead vanished under thick snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All around, blinding white erased any sense of direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the group grew anxious, wondering how long the horses could endure such snow, a powerful aura suddenly swept across, howling through the snow night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a daze, Guo Zixing glimpsed a figure in a front-buttoned cloth robe, standing with arms crossed, high above the clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hum—and pressure descended from the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep crack split the snow-covered road, then a gale blasted snow in both directions, forming endless blizzards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a thunderous instant, snowwaves rolled for a thousand li, the road swept clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Zixing stared in shock, looked up again—only black clouds remained, no trace of the figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Pingyang’s cry of “Go!” snapped him back—and the grain convoy raced forward along the cleared road…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five provinces, snowstorm, white blanketing heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just five days, the Qingyun Realm’s spirit stone supply was completely cut off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many cultivators preparing to break through, aspirants aiming for inner sects, those awaiting elixirs—all halted their cultivation, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hadn’t believed spirit stone transport would truly stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing every spirit stone shop's sign sold out, those who had come for the snow-viewing party—Liu Junchi, Peng Peng, and others—now waited anxiously for replies from their families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They understood the clans behind them and knew this matter would inevitably stir up fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of this, Liu Junchi’s scalp prickled, for once they placed themselves in Ji You’s position, they felt pressure like a mountain crashing and ocean surging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, shortly after the spirit stones were completely cut off, a palanquin arrived through the air, riding a howling storm of spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elder from the Zhang family of Liangzhou appeared with a dark gaze, landing with fierce momentum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Yonganjie, the uncleaned snowdrifts were whipped into snowstorms, blending with the fluttering goose-feather flakes falling steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchants and laborers exhaling white mist instantly dodged aside, clutching their hands and bowing their heads as they hurried past along the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the Guo family of Liangzhou, the Long family of Qingzhou, the Hua family of Lingzhou, and the Zeng family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless mysterious aura-laden missions surged in from outside the city, accompanied by disciples who flew in formation, entering steadily through the snowstorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came the Chu family of Yongzhou, the Lu family of Yuzhou…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As countless powerful figures arrived in Shengjing, carriages embedded with aerial cultivation devices entered through the western city gate; the Yunzhou Spirit Stone Guild also arrived in Shengjing, gazing toward Nishan Heaven Book Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingqiu had just returned to the Bishui Lake Elegant Courtyard, using spiritual energy to ignite the charcoal brazier in her room to ward off the cold air from all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji You’s relief efforts had caused a spiritual stone shortage across Qingyun Heaven, prompting many in the academy to send her notes, asking if she had any spirit stones for sale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their eyes, Lu Qingqiu was the eldest daughter of the Yunzhou Lu family, raised since childhood surrounded by spirit stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because so many came, her stock of spirit stones was quickly depleted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few she kept back, she did not sell; instead, she went to the inner courtyard and gave them to her sister, who was in seclusion breaking through her realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Hanyan blew the snow from her shoulders with spiritual energy, changed out of her outer robe, then took out a teapot and placed it atop the charcoal brazier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the kettle began to hiss, Lu Qingqiu, about to brew tea, heard a knock at the door; then Wensiyuan from the Administration Hall entered and handed her a note.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingqiu couldn’t help but shake her head: “I have no spirit stones left. If more notes come, please, Brother, refuse them for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wensiyuan replied: “It’s not for buying spirit stones. This note comes from the Lu family patriarch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Lu family patriarch arrived in Shengjing this morning and is currently in the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingqiu felt puzzled—she didn’t understand why her father had come to Shengjing now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took the note and glanced at it; it bore only the name of a tavern and the private room’s designation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering for a while, the Lu eldest daughter opened an umbrella and stepped out into the ceaselessly falling snow, following the deep-snow-covered Sacred Path into Shengjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After winding her way, she arrived at the tavern named in the note, brushed the snow from her paper umbrella, and stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This tavern normally thrived, bustling every day, and with evening dances and songs, it grew even noisier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, the building was eerily quiet, thick with a chilling aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Qingqiu passed through the corridor and saw many noble, aura-rich figures seated in the main hall; some she recognized, and those she didn’t, she could at least guess from the clan crests on their robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These crests represented the great clans of Qingyun Heaven, and those seated here were all their high-ranking members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some were Elders, others were Honored Guests—all with solemn faces.\u003C\u002Fp>",2375,"2026-06-19T15:28:41.422Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9a7e65375c4ef881ffdbb3f4b96112de220b24800e06e3f6cdf310462c1d8472","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-281","watching-the-immortals-fall-chapter-279",430,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwatching-the-immortals-fall-cover.jpg"]