I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Chapter 472: The Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly, Late Nascent Soul Stage

”The inevitable has finally arrived.”

In his cave dwelling atop Yunlan Peak, Lan Changʼan opened his eyes.

He sensed the mysterious power of divination at work, probing into the origin, attempting to pry open the fog of fate.

The diviners of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects had made their move.

However, Lan Changʼan himself was already a fourth-rank grandmaster of divination and had long set up concealments in advance.

Without a medium or concrete clue, it would be extremely difficult to pinpoint him as the mastermind solely through divination.

Some of Lan Changʼan’s background had been uncovered by the True Monarch Iron Calculation, because the two had previously interacted, exposing certain vulnerabilities in the process.

True Monarch Iron Calculation had gone so far as to sacrifice his own lifespan to forcibly deduce some details, even suffering backlash from the heavens in the process.

The mysterious Xuanmu Vine Gourd had a self-concealing nature, capable of blocking heavenly secrets but it did not directly shield Lan Changʼan, he only benefited from it indirectly.

For instance, if someone tried to divine the source and encountered the gourd vine’s protection, Lan Changʼan might receive incidental shelter from detection.

But True Monarch Iron Calculation’s divination hadn’t reached that level of depth.

Lan Changʼan had not yet been recognized by the Vine Gourd as its master. To gain even this indirect protection was already a rare fortune.

Lan Changʼan did not regret killing True Monarch Netherwater.

Even if given the chance again, he would not hesitate to kill her.

Had he let her be, the latent threat would only have grown, placing him in a fully passive position.

If the existence of the Xuanmu Vine Gourd were to be exposed, there would be no place in the entire world he could flee to.

Though killing Netherwater would bring trouble, it allowed Lan Changʼan to seize the initiative and greatly reduce the risk of his secrets being revealed.

…

Half a year later.

Lan Changʼan reached the age of 570.

Having advanced to the mid-Nascent Soul stage and acquired the subsequent chapters of the Evergreen Technique, his daily life was now busy and fulfilling.

His cultivation and magical power accumulated steadily day by day, drawing him into deep immersion.

His concurrent cultivation in fourth-rank body refinement consumed a vast amount of rare medicinal ingredients and the essence blood of the Demon King Profound Turtle, but progress continued steadily.

Until he reached the peak of early fourth-rank body refinement, he wouldn’t encounter any major bottlenecks.

His puppet-crafting secret art, Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art, advanced noticeably faster after reaching mid-Nascent Soul. He was now brushing against the peak of the seventh layer.

Once he reached the eighth layer, his spiritual sense would undergo a minor transformation.

Fortunately, thanks to the Dragon Phoenix Dual Cauldron Technique, Lan Changʼan only needed to engage in Dao discussions with Purple Mist Fairy once a month, which significantly boosted his cultivation efficiency.

The Evergreen Technique allowed only a fixed amount of daily cultivation growth, exceeding it brought no additional benefit.

This granted him ample free time to focus on refining his body, improving his puppet arts, and nurturing the Azure Profound Sword.

Lan Changʼan wished time would pass another hundred or two hundred years.

Only then could his divine abilities experience a great leap through accumulated growth.

One regret was that the Great Yu Imperial Clan had ceased trading body refinement and puppet-related resources with him.

Lan Changʼan speculated that the imperial clan had learned some of his secrets.

Their previous behavior, gifting cultivation techniques and trading rare refinement materials could now be seen as ”aiding the enemy.” The Yu Emperor must now bitterly regret his generosity.

…

That day, Jiang Ziyan who was keeping close watch on the movements of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects brought fresh intelligence.

”Dalong, things are not looking good!”

”The Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect has submitted a major proposal to the Sixteen Sects Alliance, calling for a ʼSea Suppressing Alliance Assembly.ʼ”

Purple Mist Fairy spoke with grave urgency, getting straight to the point.

”The Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly?”

Lan Changʼan pondered, having some knowledge of this highest-level meeting within the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects.

It was convened only in response to extremely grave matters, or when the alliance faced a major crisis.

Only the Twelve Elders of the Sea Suppressing Alliance had the authority to initiate such an assembly.

The Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect was one of these Twelve Sea Suppressing Elders, even if he ranked toward the lower end.

When Lan Changʼan had first returned to the Great Yuan, he had once crossed paths with this elder whose deep cultivation rivaled even the Grand Elder of Beast King Valley.

At that time, Lan Changʼan had chosen to avoid a direct confrontation.

He had merely killed Master Gou quickly to establish his authority and to probe the progress of True Monarch Netherwaterʼs strength.

”The Grand Elder of Black Sea Sect initiating the Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly is likely because he suspects me in connection with True Monarch Netherwater’s death.”

Lan Changʼan analyzed the situation calmly. He had long been mentally prepared.

His grudge with Netherwater dated back a long time; she had once had her physical body destroyed by the Twin Dragons of the Central Region.

From a motive standpoint, he was indeed a suspect.

Among all her enemies with sufficient strength, if Xiang Dalong joined forces with either True Monarch Purple Mist or True Monarch Jing Tian and launched an ambush, they would certainly have the power to eliminate True Monarch Netherwater.

”Once the Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly is held, the Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect will likely direct his accusations at us.”

Worry flickered in Jiang Ziyan’s eyes.

If it were just the Black Sea Sect alone, she wouldn’t be concerned.

But if their Grand Elder leveraged his status to rally the immense power of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects, the threat would become truly formidable.

Looking across the Great Yuan, aside from the other two major ruling powers, who could withstand the immense pressure of a Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly’s judgment?

”Do you have any countermeasures, Dalong?”

After a brief pause, Jiang Ziyan turned to her ever-composed lover.

”Let’s watch and wait, see how the assembly plays out.”

Lan Changʼan gently pulled the purple-robed immortal beauty into his arms and softly consoled her:

”The Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects aren’t nearly as united as outsiders believe. Without sufficient interests at stake, those old monsters won’t be easily stirred by the Black Sea Sect.”

”This matter, in the end, hinges on the stance of the great cultivator from Sea Suppressing Sect itself.”

Hearing Lan Changʼan’s analysis, Purple Mist Fairy’s heart eased somewhat.

She was born and raised in the Great Yuan and held a natural awe toward the Sixteen Sects and the mysterious Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly.

Lan Changʼan, having lived through several lifetimes of cultivation, felt no such fear.

To him, such alliance assemblies, despite their lofty airs, were mostly platforms for empty talk.

Inefficient, slow to act and more talk than action.

…

Several days later.

Definite news came from the Eastern Region of Great Yuan:

The Black Sea Sect’s Grand Elder’s proposal had passed, the Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly would be held in ten months!

“I underestimated this old man’s influence within the Sea Suppressing Alliance.”

Lan Changʼan had no choice but to take it seriously and closely monitor the assembly’s developments.

One could treat their enemies lightly in strategy, but must face them seriously in tactics.

The proposal for the assembly passed more smoothly than expected.

This clearly showed that the Sea Suppressing Alliance elder from the Black Sea Sect wielded considerable influence and held significant prestige within the sixteen sects.

Subsequent intelligence confirmed the reason.

The Black Sea Sect Grand Elder’s push for the Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly wasn’t solely to investigate the death of True Monarch Netherwater.

Her demise had indeed caused a major ripple, the alliance had already launched an official investigation and issued a reward across the entire Great Yuan, which showed their high level of concern.

Normally, with no results yet, the assembly shouldn’t have been approved this quickly.

Turns out, the Black Sea Sect Grand Elder raised the stakes in his proposal.

He claimed that the death of True Monarch Netherwater was tied to a significant hidden opportunity related to the Tinghai Pavilion.

Lan Changʼan’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

Could it be… even after killing True Monarch Netherwater, the hidden danger still managed to spread?

He reconsidered carefully, that wasn’t the case.

If the Black Sea Sect’s Grand Elder had been certain, he wouldn’t have needed to go to such lengths to rally the sects and call an assembly.

Opportunities of that level would be quietly shared in private between top cultivators, not paraded in a public alliance assembly.

Clearly, the Grand Elder was bluffing, trying to exaggerate the issue and spark interest among the Sea Suppressing big shots.

Within the Sixteen Sects, hunting the remnants of the Tinghai Pavilion was considered politically correct.

After all, most of the sects’ current core forces had grown fat off the corpse of Tinghai Pavilion.

Back then, many of them had been mere vassals or even slaves of Tinghai Pavilion.

Now that they had risen to power, there was no way they’d let the old regime rise from the ashes.

“This old bastard… almost stumbled straight into the truth by accident.”

Lan Changʼan felt a chill run down his back, but exhaled in relief.

The Grand Elder was just using the opportunity to boost his hand and ensure the assembly took place.

Avenging True Monarch Netherwater and demanding accountability, that was the real goal.

…

Time passed quickly.

Nine months later, the Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly became the focus of attention for all major forces in Great Yuan.

Only high-level figures, either major powers or core representatives of the Sixteen Sects could attend.

Lan Changʼan, of course, kept a close eye on the assembly’s developments.

He knew the assembly’s outcome might determine whether he could continue cultivating in peace in Great Yuan.

A mid-grade fourth-rank spiritual vein at Yunxia Sect, paired with a mid-Nascent Soul stage fairy to debate the Dao with, such prime conditions were rare even in the cultivation world.

Of course, that was in the worst-case scenario.

If the Sea Suppressing Sect truly turned hostile, the Yunxia Sect could still seek full backing from the Imperial Clan, or even try to gain protection from the Yellow Heaven Ghost Palace in the Northern Region.

Yellow Heaven Ghost Palace, head of the demonic path, was a chaotic and inclusive faction that didn’t get along with the Sea Suppressing Sect.

But then came the twist, just one month before the assembly…

An unexpected development!

The suspected ”true culprit” behind True Monarch Netherwater’s death appeared in a coastal immortal city near where the Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly was to be held!

That sea island immortal city housed an ultra-long-distance inter-province teleportation formation.

The Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect was the first to lock onto the target.

He immediately rallied nearly ten other Nascent Soul experts already in the area to intercept and besiege the “culprit.”

A fierce battle erupted on the spot.

…

“Ziyan! Are you sure the one being hunted is Fellow Daoist Jing?”

Lan Changʼan’s expression was odd, shock flashing in his eyes.

“Based on current intel, it’s highly likely to be Fellow Daoist Jing. Not just his clothes and appearance, even the spatial divine techniques he used in combat match his style perfectly.”

“Oh, and supposedly when he appeared, he was riding an Inkwater Qilin sacred beast, quite the awe-inspiring sight…”

Jiang Ziyan covered her mouth and chuckled.

Pfft-

Lan Changʼan nearly spit his tea all over the graceful fairy beside him.

In a flash, he imagined the scene:

Jing Wufeng, returning to Great Yuan where he once made his name, probably couldn’t resist showing off.

Riding a fourth-rank Qilin sacred beast through the skies above the sea-region immortal city, drawing awe and reverence from countless cultivators below.

Showing off was just human nature.

Even Lan Changʼan himself had returned to Great Qing riding the third-rank Profound Water Turtle to abuse vegetables in his wake.

But the Inkwater Qilin was a water-type sacred beast!

In the Sea Suppressing Alliance’s investigation, aquatic-type sacred beasts were key clues.

Years ago, it was Jing Wufeng who used a pseudo-spiritual treasure, the Sky-Cleaving Axe, to destroy True Monarch Netherwater’s physical body.

He had motive.

He had matching evidence, a water-type sacred beast.

For someone like that to boldly ride an Inkwater Qilin around the region just before the assembly?

How could the Sixteen Sects possibly tolerate it?

Jing Wufeng probably hadn’t even figured out what was happening before he was besieged by the Sea Suppressing Alliance’s cultivators.

“Dalong, Fellow Daoist Jing is being chased and hunted, why don’t you seem even a little worried?”

Jiang Ziyan noticed Lan Changʼan looked relaxed, even a bit amused.

In her mind, Xiang Dalong and Jing Wufeng had always been close friends.

The name “Twin Dragons of the Central Region” had once shaken the entire domain.

“No need to worry about him.”

Lan Changʼan smiled calmly.

Each of Heavenly One’s nine disciples was a genius, Jing Wufeng even possessed a space-type innate Dao body.

In terms of escape ability, he was superior even to Lan Changʼan himself.

Jing Wufeng had reached the Nascent Soul stage earlier too, and without the time-bound limitations of the Evergreen Technique.

Cultivated by one of the top ”small sects” in the realm, his strength likely far surpassed Lan Changʼan’s by now.

Lan’s own cultivation had been delayed due to the lack of follow-up technique for a while.

“I can’t believe… that Inkwater Qilin egg from back then has already been raised into a fourth-rank sacred beast.”

Lan muttered to himself.

By his estimate, even if the egg were hatched within a top-tier Nascent Soul sect, pouring in several times the resources needed to raise a normal cultivator, it should still take centuries to reach fourth-rank.

The higher a spirit beast’s bloodline, the more resources it consumed.

Raising a sect-defending sacred beast was harder than producing a single Nascent Soul cultivator. Plus, loyalty was always a concern.

That’s why high-bloodline spirit beast eggs weren’t necessarily as valuable in the cultivation world as one might think.

Back in the void whale’s lair, the Earth Burrowing Rat had stolen the Inkwater Qilin egg.

Lan Changʼan didn’t have the time or resources to raise it, he already had the water-type Profound Water Turtle.

So he traded it to Jing Wufeng.

At the time, he’d faintly guessed Jing’s background and offered the gift as a goodwill gesture.

He’d even used a bit of his lifespan and employed the Evergreen secret spell to nourish the egg, enhancing its innate potential.

He hadn’t expected that small gesture to pay off so handsomely now.

Jing Wufeng’s sudden appearance helped take immense pressure off Lan Changʼan and Yunxia Sect.

He had thoroughly muddied the waters and it couldnʼt have come at a better time.

…

The Yunxia Sect continued monitoring intelligence from the Eastern Region’s coastal regions.

A few days later, they received a confirmed report:

Jing Wufeng had broken through a siege by nearly ten Nascent Soul cultivators and escaped unscathed.

It must be noted those participating on behalf of the Sea Suppressing Alliance were either giants who ruled the seas or veteran Nascent Soul powerhouses with deep foundations.

The pursuers were mostly mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, even a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator would not be able to fight them head on.

Yet, not only had Jing Wufeng broken through, he had slain an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivatorʼs physical body and injured the Black Sea Sectʼs Grand Elder in the process.

Even the Sea Suppressing Great Cultivator who arrived afterward failed to catch him.

By the time the Sea Suppressing Sect’s Nascent Soul bigwigs finally reached the scene, Jing Wufeng had long since vanished without a trace.

Reportedly, he had fled toward the Outer Seas.

This unexpected incident cast a shadow over the upcoming Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly.

Before the gathering had even begun, the “true culprit” behind the death of True Monarch Netherwater had been unofficially decided. At the very least, Jing Wufeng was the principal offender.

The divine abilities he displayed during the siege were truly terrifying.

With the addition of the sacred beast, the Inkwater Qilin, he was like a tiger with wings possessing the strength to take down True Monarch Netherwater alone.

“Old Jing escaped to the Outer Seas?”

Lan Changʼan rubbed his chin, speculating that Jing Wufeng was merely avoiding the limelight for now, perhaps taking the opportunity to handle some business overseas.

…

Half a month later.

The boundless sea raged with violent storms.

Towering waves more than ten zhang high could easily engulf spirit boats that traversed inland rivers.

From the depths of the sea, razor-toothed fish and strange, dangerous marine beasts occasionally leapt forth.

Suddenly, a faint silver spatial rift appeared in the sky. A gentle breeze encircled its edges, calming the surrounding wind and waves.

“Another storm… the environment out here is abysmal.”

A mysterious man in green silk robes emerged from the rift with eerie fluidity.

The faint, almost imperceptible aura he exuded sent instinctive terror through the surrounding sea beasts, none dared surface.

Several days earlier, Jing Wufeng had already left the sphere of influence of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects.

Their stronghold was along the coastal lands, and their control extended only to the near-sea regions.

Beyond that, in the true Outer Seas, their influence waned considerably.

“I wonder if those two Void Whales from back then have migrated. If they’ve gone into the deep sea, that’ll be a problem…”

Jing Wufeng pulled out a maritime map. The markings were crude, with many fog-covered areas of unknown danger. Only vague locations could be guessed.

He had not yet reached the regions where the overseas human cultivators dwelled, and one often traveled for tens of thousands of li without encountering a single cultivation settlement.

At his current cultivation level, materials from the mid-fourth-rank Void Whales had limited use to him.

And yet, he still thought of them partly because he had once been hunted by those two Void Whales, and now he wished to settle that score.

And partly because Void Whales were known to hoard rare spatial treasures and spirit ores.

Anything a Void Whale considered a true treasure would be hidden within its own body.

Now, Jing Wufeng was confident he could hunt one down alone.

Xiang Dalong was skilled at holding the line in positional battles but was of little help in chasing space-type beasts.

After a brief stop in Central State to gather supplies, Jing Wufeng used an intercontinental teleportation array to reach one of the island immortal cities of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects in Great Yuan.

To his surprise, simply riding the Inkwater Qilin around for a short while provoked a frenzied siege by the sects’ powerhouses.

Only after interrogating a Sea Suppressing Sect cultivator did he learn the reason why.

Jing Wufeng cursed his bad luck, he didn’t know which bastard had dragged him into this mess.

Unwilling to get entangled with the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects, he simply fled to the Outer Seas.

He planned to harvest some gains out here before returning to meet up with Xiang Dalong, perhaps bringing back some marine delicacies as gifts.

…

Utilizing spatial movement techniques, Jing Wufeng occasionally slipped through rifts in space, unaffected by storms or the howling celestial winds.

His travel speed across the Outer Seas could only be described as monstrous, at least ten times faster than that of an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.

Two months passed.

He occasionally spotted scattered islands inhabited by cultivators, signaling the edge of human influence in the Outer Seas.

That morning, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth stirred unusually.

Amid the misty sea, a bright, silvery moon suddenly rose.

Its cold, clear light spilled across the waves, and within a radius of several thousand li, the ocean was still and silent.

The breathtaking serenity of the scene stood in stark contrast to the violent storms raging in the surrounding sea.

“A bright moon over the sea…”

Jing Wufeng sensed an unusual fluctuation in the space around this region.

Especially the calm sea where the moonʼs reflection shimmered.

“Sea wonder? A mysterious region?”

Jing Wufeng’s eyes lit up, he suspected he had stumbled upon a rare opportunity in the Outer Seas.

Such anomalies would undoubtedly draw the attention of other cultivators in nearby waters.

“Enforcement of Starmoon Palace, unauthorized individuals must leave!”

“Only those holding the Star-Moon Token may enter the Lunar Mirage Realm!”

Half an hour later, enforcers from Starmoon Palace arrived, led by a cultivator holding a star-sensing disc.

Only a few high-ranking cultivators with the token were permitted to enter the mysterious area reflected by the moon.

“Star-Moon Token?”

Jing Wufeng sat on a reef, frowning slightly as he pondered how to slip into the Lunar Mirage Realm.

His sect’s ancient texts had once mentioned the fortunes hidden within the Lunar Mirage Realm, which appeared in random parts of the Boundless Sea every few centuries.

Each time it lasted only half a day.

To stumble upon it was a stroke of fate.

“This fellow cultivator, if you don’t have a Star-Moon Token…”

One of the Starmoon Palace enforcers flew toward Jing Wufeng.

Just then, a refined scholar nearby waved his folding fan.

The Nascent Soul-led enforcement team retreated without a word.

“You don’t seem familiar with the Outer Seas. Are you from the Heaven Honoured Continent?”

The refined scholar looked at Jing Wufeng with interest.

Even with his powerful spiritual sense, he couldn’t discern anything about the man in green robes.

Of all those present, only this man defied his perception.

“That’s right. And you, fellow Daoist, are you from Starmoon Palace?”

Jing Wufeng swept his gaze over the scholar, his eyes deepening with thought.

With his current cultivation, it was easy to tell the scholar was a woman in disguise.

Far too young… and already more powerful than he had been at the same age.

The scholar’s heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushed. She had the odd sensation that this man had seen right through her.

“The lunar anomaly on the sea will only last half a day. The top-tier experts won’t have time to arrive. Since fate has brought us together, would you be interested in a joint venture?”

The scholar clasped her hands respectfully, proposing cooperation.

“Very well! Since you’ve opened this door of opportunity, once we’re inside the Lunar Mirage Realm… I Xiang shall share… ten percent of my gains with you.”

Jing Wufeng changed his surname on impulse.

Back during the Ancient Nether Hall opportunity, he’d promised Xiang Dalong a full ten percent, only to realize afterward that he had been at a loss.

“…Fine.”

The scholar curled her lip slightly.

This Xiang guy, his strength was unfathomable but he sure was stingy.

“Mhm.”

Jing Wufeng nodded in satisfaction. Working with someone from Starmoon Palace didn’t seem like a bad arrangement.

Truth be told, his humble little sect had once shared a connection with Starmoon Palace, many years ago.

…

Great Yuan realm, several months had passed since the highly anticipated Sea Suppressing Alliance Assembly.

Due to unforeseen turmoil before the event, the proceedings were hastily thrown together, bringing great shame and disarray.

An invisible gloom hung over the heads of the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects.

There was little to discuss at the conference.

The culprit True Monarch Jing Tian had already made a bold move before the gathering, killing and injuring several sect representatives.

The perpetrator was certain.

However, Jing Wufeng was good at spatial escape arts, had fled to the Boundless Outer Seas, far from Great Yuan and its troubles.

Any clear-eyed cultivator could see pursuing him was unrealistic.

But for the Sixteen Sea Suppressing Sects to suffer the loss of a mid-stage Nascent Soul giant and be humiliated so brazenly by the ”culprit,” if they simply let the matter drop, wouldn’t that make them the laughingstock of all Great Yuan?

It was the Grand Elder of the Black Sea Sect who proposed a new angle: Xiang Dalong, one of the Twin Dragons, was closely connected to Jing Wufeng, perhaps he could be the breakthrough.

There was even suspicion that Xiang Dalong might have been his accomplice.

This elder of the Sea Suppressing Alliance went as far as to suggest an aggressive tactic, confront Xiang Dalong directly and use the “Source of Malefic Aura” to confirm the true culprit on the spot.

However, the Sea Suppressing Alliance ultimately rejected this plan.

Such secret techniques, without irrefutable evidence, would never be used lightly.

Taking that step would mean completely tearing apart relations with the Yunxia Sect and the Twin Dragons of the Central Region.

The Yunxia Sect was located within the Great Yu Kingdom, and any rash move might even drag in the powerful imperial family of the Central Region.

Meanwhile, the other two ruling powers of Great Yuan were all too eager to see the Sea Suppressing Alliance entangled in such a troublesome dispute.

…

Imperial Palace of the Great Yu Kingdom.

Within a grand hall, the Yu Emperor sat high upon his dragon throne, reading a letter of audience sent from the Sea Suppressing Alliance.

Yu Yuanjin and True Monarch Iron Calculation stood below, having also read the letter.

“Ahem. Let’s hope it’s not that one visiting in person…”

True Monarch Iron Calculation coughed lightly. In recent years, he’d stopped performing divinations to preserve his health.

At the level of Sea Suppressing bigwigs and Nascent Soul great cultivators, their mana and fate were powerful, making fourth-rank low-grade divinations incredibly difficult.

Forcing a reading would risk immense backlash.

Normally, even if the Sea Suppressing Alliance sent one of their top elders to visit, it would already count as a great gesture of respect.

“But with the current chaos and the Alliance’s lost prestige, that great cultivator might just take matters into his own hands and cut through the mess decisively.”

Yu Yuanjin stood tall in a blue python-embroidered robe. Though his features appeared in his early thirties, silver strands streaked his temples. His eyes shone like cold stars, piercing and formidable.

Having advanced to mid-stage Nascent Soul years ago, and after countless battles, he had become a pillar of the imperial family upon taking up the Azure Dragon Sword.

“If the Sea Suppressing Alliance intends to pressure Yunxia Sect and Xiang Dalong through our imperial family, what do you both think we should do?”

The Yu Emperor spoke calmly, his voice naturally commanding.

Yu Yuanjin sneered, “Yunxia Sect is part of the Great Yu Kingdom. How can we allow foreign powers to interfere? Even if a great cultivator arrives in person, we must not yield an inch!”

None of the three present mentioned the identity of the true culprit.

In this tangled situation, that had long ceased to be the main concern.

“Iron Calculation, what say you?”

The Emperor turned to the robed elder in green, who had been silently pondering.

True Monarch Iron Calculation bowed and said, “Your Majesty sees far and wide. I believe you already have a plan, but allow me to offer a humble suggestion.”

“I believe the imperial family should receive the Sea Suppressing envoy with proper ceremony, showing due respect to their Nascent Soul representative.”

“But regarding Yunxia Sect and the Twin Dragons of the Central Region, we must at least maintain neutrality and fairness. We absolutely must not ally with foreign forces to suppress them. Should the Sea Suppressing Alliance overstep their bounds, it is the duty of the imperial family to advise, even restrain them to uphold the bottom line of the Great Yu Kingdom.”

“Excellent.”

The Emperor nodded, clearly approving.

Just Xiang Dalong alone, an old monster of the Evergreen Lineage, was already headache enough.

The other Twin Dragon, Jing Wufeng, was rumored to have ties with the Heavenly One Sect, making him a taboo figure.

These two together were not to be provoked lightly.

…

Half a Year Later

Yunxia Sect, Yunlan Peak Cave Residence.

Lan Changʼan was currently nurturing four Azure Profound Swords, pouring in massive amounts of life essence. They were gradually nearing the threshold of fourth-rank superior-grade quality.

Suddenly, he looked up sharply, gazing into the skies above the cloud layers.

Lan Changʼan sensed an overwhelming, unprecedented aura passing through the sky above Yunxia Sect.

The clouds churned violently, like crashing waves against a cliff.

Over on Zixia Peak, Jiang Ziyan also felt it, a chilling bone-deep dread.

A vast, obscure spiritual sense swept down from above, scanning the Yunxia Sect’s mountain gate without intent, yet causing great unease.

Lan Changʼan’s soul trembled. This spiritual sense clearly surpassed his own, it had reached the peak of late Nascent Soul!

There was no need to guess, he knew who had passed overhead.

Rumor had it, that man possessed the deepest mana reserves among the Three Great Cultivators of Great Yuan!

Thoughts racing, Lan Changʼan swiftly deduced the man’s likely destination.

If he was passing over the Yunxia Sect… was he headed to the Imperial Family of Great Yu?

Rather than wait and react passively…

Lan Changʼan’s eyes turned sharp as blades. In the next moment, he made a bold decision.

Whoosh!

Lan Changʼan leapt up, black wings unfurling from his back, surrounded by whirling dark winds. The power of his mid-stage Nascent Soul erupted in full force.

In the blink of an eye, a streak of wind and black-winged radiance shot forth from the mountain gate, charging straight toward the sky and that vast, ocean-like presence.

“Dalong-!”

Jiang Ziyan gasped, her face paling in shock, caught completely off guard.

But at that very moment, a clear and ringing voice echoed through the sea of clouds:

“Since the Great Cultivator is passing through our sect, why not stay for a conversation?”

Jiang Ziyan’s heart dropped, she had no time to stop him.

…

The moment those words rang out.

The world changed color, and the heavens began to churn.

Boom!

Thunder and lightning roared through the cloud sea above, like a tsunami tearing across the sky. The pressure descended like mountains crashing down.

The heavens dimmed. Black clouds loomed like siege towers.

The Yunxia Sect’s protective grand array activated, shrouding the entire mountain in flickering light.

It felt as though a vast ocean capable of devouring civilizations was pressing down from above, sending chills through every cultivator. It was suffocating, as if the end had come.

Amid the thundering black clouds, a towering figure over nine feet tall slowly descended.

Ash-gray hair, like surging waves, reached his waist.

He wore a robe of black dragon-scale, its wide sleeves billowing. Bronze-toned muscles etched wave-like patterns across his frame.

A claw-marked red dragon sigil stretched across the rugged left side of his face.

Thick brows slanted into his temples. His piercing eyes glowed like the legendary sea-candle dragons, too fearsome for mortals to look upon directly.

This was none other than one of Great Yuan’s three Great Cultivators, the Overturning Sea True Monarch whose fame shook the Heaven Honoured Continent!