Guiding Immortal Master

Five years ago, Zhao Yunsheng passed away naturally at the age of sixty-five. The current Emperor is his eldest son.

This is the new Emperor's first time participating in the Immortal Ceremony. Coupled with the secret rumors that his imperial grandfather was killed by an Immortal Master back then, he appears particularly nervous at this moment, subconsciously taking half a step back behind Li Ji'an.

Zhao Shuyao glared at her elder brother several times, but was ignored.

Looking at Li Ji'an at the very front, Zhao Shuyao's gaze was also complex.

At the previous Immortal Ceremony, she was just four months shy of seventeen and had achieved minor Blood Transformation. She lived up to the title of Prodigy. Although she didn't successfully become an Immortal Seed, she was quite proud. At the very least, she fought to a draw with the disciple of the top-ranked Grandmaster, even winning by a narrow margin due to being seven months younger.

However, after that Immortal Ceremony, Li Ji'an showed her what a true Prodigy was!

It wasn't until her father, Zhao Yunsheng, passed away five years ago that she completely conceded defeat.

Furthermore, before Zhao Yunsheng died, she swore that she would follow Li Ji'an's lead from then on, especially after ascending to the Immortal Realm, she would act according to Li Ji'an's wishes.

Similarly, Li Ji'an had also promised Zhao Yunsheng five years ago when he passed away that he would take care of her as much as he could. However, he firmly rejected the offer of a marriage alliance.

In the past five years, Li Ji'an had instructed Zhao Shuyao to begin practicing external martial arts, strengthening her combat and offensive capabilities.

He also taught her his own unique cultivation technique.

This caused Zhao Shuyao, who had already achieved minor Organ Refining and believed she was sufficient to become an Immortal Seed and ascend to the Immortal Realm to cultivate Immortal Methods, and had thus almost given up on the Martial Path, to take another step forward. Now, she was also on the verge of entering the ranks of Vital Energy and Blood Grandmasters.

Because of this, Zhao Shuyao, who had always harbored a sense of resistance towards Li Ji'an, found her feelings becoming incredibly complex.

It wasn't just Li Ji'an before her, but also the renowned Li Ji'an, whom she had never met and whose existence had caused her competitive maternal grandfather to die with regret. Li Ji'an's image in her heart gradually changed.

Because just moments before entering the Immortal Hall and awaiting the arrival of the Immortal Master, Li Ji'an brought out the martial art that she considered nearly divine, stating that he was instructed by Li Ji'an to hand it over to the Scripture Repository for all martial artists in the world to study.

May the Martial Path of this world flourish, and may all people in this world be like dragons!

Such magnanimity and grand aspiration were enough to make everyone in the world bow in reverence.

"They're here!" Suddenly, Li Ji'an's ears twitched, keenly catching a sound of air being broken.

The other nine Immortal Seeds and the Emperor held their breath, lowering their heads even further.

As expected, in the next moment, a figure descended from above the Immortal Hall.

"Rise and respond!"

Li Ji'an looked up, and a strange face met his eyes. Compared to the Immortal Master he saw sixty years ago, this one was much younger and possessed a hint of sharp arrogance.

"They changed after fifty years?"

Considering the description of the previous Guiding Immortal Master given by Zhao Yunsheng ten years ago, he had clearly aged considerably compared to when Li Ji'an saw him sixty years prior.

"It seems the cultivation of this Guiding cultivator might not be particularly high..." Li Ji'an formed a preliminary judgment in his mind.

The new Emperor respectfully stepped forward to respond, not daring to raise his head. This made the young Immortal Master's contempt deepen by another third.

Immediately, his eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned the ten Immortal Seeds present one by one.

"Hmm? This batch actually has seedlings with such strong Vital Energy and Blood?" Suddenly, his gaze fixed on Li Ji'an and Zhao Shuyao, and his face showed surprise and delight.

The new Emperor heard the joy in his words and let out a sigh of relief. He boldly looked up, preparing to claim credit: "Immortal Master's blessings, this time it's thanks to..."

However, before he could finish speaking, the Immortal Master's expression changed drastically. He stared sharply at the new Emperor and said grimly, "Hmph! I thought those previous seedlings were your limit... I didn't expect you've been fooling us all these years."

"Ah? No, it's not, Immortal Master, please understand..." The new Emperor broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

"Less nonsense. From now on, the standard for seedlings will be based on these two. If they don't meet it... Hmph, you'll bear the consequences!" The young Immortal Master didn't give the new Emperor a chance to explain.

Li Ji'an frowned inwardly.

He had developed a strong distrust of the current Guiding Immortal Master.

The Immortal Master he had seen sixty years ago, regardless of other aspects, possessed a certain Immortal Demeanor in his words and actions.

But the person before him was like a reckless youth from some noble family, unpolished by worldly experiences and untaught by life's events, lacking any cunning or understanding of the world.

"Immortal Master, you misunderstand. I am wronged, I would never dare deceive an Immortal Master..." The new Emperor was on the verge of collapse. Since Prince Yun ascended the throne, to alleviate the suffering of the people, he abolished the previous Emperor's national policy of cultivating Immortal Seeds with the nation's full strength, replacing the broad casting net with precise cultivation.

This policy effectively reduced the burden on the people.

But it brought great pressure and risk to the selection of Immortal Seeds.

It was already difficult for him to gather Immortal Seeds with the standard of minor Blood Transformation Perfection, how could he possibly raise it further, and moreover, based on a peerless monstrous talent like Li Ji'an?

In the entire Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, in a hundred years, only Li Ji'an was such a monstrous talent!

"Still dare to talk back? You deserve a beating!" The young Immortal Master felt his authority challenged and snorted coldly. Without any visible movement, Li Ji'an felt as if an invisible palm had instantly slapped him.

"Slap~" The new Emperor was instantly sent flying by a slap, falling to the side, his cheek swelling.

"Big Brother!" Zhao Shuyao, behind Li Ji'an, cried out in distress involuntarily and was about to check on him.

Li Ji'an decisively grabbed her with one hand like an iron clamp.

"Hmph! If there's a next time, I'll scatter your soul and prevent you from reincarnating," the young Immortal Master said indifferently.

The new Emperor, covering his swollen cheek, no longer dared to speak and nodded repeatedly.

"You were born in a land abandoned by heaven, yet you have the fortune to enter the Immortal Realm. You should remember this grace," the young Immortal Master said to the ten Immortal Seeds.

"We will definitely not forget the grace of the Immortal Master's guidance," the ten replied in unison.

The young Immortal Master nodded. "Do not resist, ascend to the Immortal Realm with this venerable one!"

"Yes!"

Immediately after, Li Ji'an felt a lifting force beneath his feet, slowly carrying him into the sky.

"Completely different from Vital Energy and Blood, colorless, formless, and gentler and more refined than Vital Energy and Blood... Is this Magical Power?"

As everyone was lifted higher and higher, the speed noticeably slowed.

Li Ji'an even felt the invisible force beneath his feet was nearing its limit. If he exerted himself even slightly, it might dissipate.

They hovered in mid-air at an altitude of about a hundred meters.

The young Immortal Master tapped a small cloth bag at his waist, and the bag flashed with light.

A small boat, shimmering with a flowing radiance, suddenly appeared and grew in the wind.

In an instant, it transformed into a ten-zhang giant boat.

"Immortal Treasure!"

"Truly divine methods."

"Will we also learn these Immortal Methods soon?"

The giant boat that suddenly appeared out of thin air made the Immortal Seeds unable to hold back their exclamations.

Before, whether it was seeing the Immortal Master motionless slap the Emperor, or being carried into the sky, they weren't particularly surprised. After all, Qi and Blood Grandmasters could also project their Vital Energy and Blood externally.

But the appearance of this Flying Boat completely surpassed their understanding of the Martial Path.

Seeing their reactions, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flashed across the young Immortal Master's face. He seemed quite pleased.

His attitude immediately improved slightly. "No need to be alarmed, it's just a trivial skill. Quickly board the Flying Boat, we're heading to the Immortal Realm!"