Immortal Court's Retreat, Suppressing a Dao Fruit

The Xu Ling Sect was a top-tier Dao Realm sect. It had two Outer Dao Realm cultivators: the sect master who had inherited the Xu Ling Daoist title, and a Supreme Elder who had sealed himself away. As for Dao Fruit Realm cultivators, there were three—the three highest-ranking elders.

The Third Elder's Daoist title was Jade Dragon. Jade Dragon Daoist had only recently entered the Dao Fruit Realm and was exceptionally familiar with the sect's arrangements. Thus, when he saw the Dao Realm cultivator standing beside the Second Elder, he thought of a terrifying possibility, and his pupils abruptly contracted.

He shifted his gaze to the Second Elder and found the other man's expression graver than ever before. In their exchanged glance, he could even see a deeply concealed trace of fear in the depths of the other's eyes.

Jade Dragon Daoist's heart skipped a beat. The unease in his heart surged forth, almost taking tangible form. He held his breath, suppressed his palpitations, and asked, "Dao brother, why have you summoned me here? What urgent matter is it?"

Inside the hall, Daoist Kuihua, the Xu Ling Sect's Second Elder, looked at the ordinary Dao Realm cultivator standing at his side and said gravely, "Hanging River, speak."

Hanging River Daoist, who had been stationed in the sect's secret grounds and constantly monitored the soul lamps of the sect's dozen-odd Dao Realm cultivators, could not stop his gaze from trembling. In a low voice, he said, "Third Elder, the sect master's soul lamp went out just now."

The moment those words fell, the shock in Jade Dragon Daoist's heart erupted. He blurted out instinctively, "Impossible. Absolutely impossible."

Yet neither Hanging River Daoist nor Daoist Kuihua refuted him.

Daoist Kuihua said to Hanging River, "Hanging River, return to the sect's secret grounds