The nine old men were each dressed in purple Daoist robes, their hair streaked with white, half-foot beards beneath ruddy faces. Every one of them held a whisk, carrying themselves with the air of immortal sages.
Especially the depth in their eyes—it was like a resplendent river of stars, as though they could pierce through the falsehood of all things in the world and see their true essence.
"No need for such formalities. This Queen needs you to divine the foundations and fortune of the Divine Sword Sect."
Martial Queen gave a slight nod and, without wasting words, stated her purpose directly.
Upon hearing this, Yin Mei, who had come along, could not help feeling anxious. She lightly clenched the hem of her skirt, and a trace of tension appeared on her frost-and-snow fair face.
She was deeply worried that these nine elders of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion would divine something that would disappoint her.
"By your command." The nine pavilion elders bowed in unison.
Then, an elder who appeared to be their leader stepped forward and went straight to a meditation cushion before the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.
He sat down cross-legged, gently closed his eyes, calmed his breath and focused his mind, then sent a streak of golden light from his fingertips as he began the divination.
The instant that golden light merged into the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, threads of starlight descended from the heavens and landed directly upon it.
As though sensing something, the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion burst forth with strands of starlight, and an incomparably profound aura began spreading from within it.
The pavilion elder looked relaxed, as though victory were already in his grasp.
After all, his target was merely the tiny Divine Sword Sect. For an expert like him, this was using a butcher's cleaver