One month later
May grew ever hotter, the sunlight harsh and dazzling as it reflected broad swathes of shattered gold across the sea.
Longwan Dock, Jujun Island.
One heavy three-decked ship after another raised the banners of the Xuanmiao Sect and slowly sailed out of Longwan.
Numerous experts from the Xuanmiao Sect's expedition stood aboard the ships.
Yuan Du Zi was among them, standing with her hands behind her back as she gazed into the distant Sea Domain.
Besides her, two other grandmasters had come along: Yan Wujiu and Xiao Ling.
The rest were three top experts from the Inner Mountain. These three were True Persons of the same generation as Yuan Du Zi, but their brilliance had been eclipsed by Yuan Du Zi and the other three chiefs, leaving them unknown to the wider world.
But being unknown did not mean they were not strong enough.
As those at the limit of Complete Truth, surviving to their present age was itself proof of their strength.
For after repeatedly undergoing Fixed Perception in the True World, anyone too weak would have long since either mutated or died.
And with the Xuanmiao Sect's foundations, there were far more experts like these than the few who had appeared at the previous ceremony.
Each of the three lineages had accumulated deep foundations over so many years.
The Xuanmiao Sect had concealed at least five or six experts of this caliber.
Ordinarily, these people either lived far away, guarded the Abyssal Prison, or shut themselves away to study something.
They rarely interacted with outsiders.
But this time, even Yuan Du Zi had no choice but to mobilize this final reserve of the sect's strength.
Because this journey was not something she could handle alone.
"Moto specifically named me for a meeting and battle this