Long ago, the Divine Mansion Immortal Clan had pledged its entire clan to another

Chu Prefecture, the southeastern mountains.

The mountain ranges rose layer upon layer, miasma lingering all year round. Ancient trees towered into the sky, and tangled vines blotted out the sun.

Deep in a secluded valley stood a cluster of buildings built against the mountainside.

This was the Huang Family's refuge.

The Huang Family had once been a Divine Mansion Immortal Clan.

A dozen years ago, they had ruled their territory and enjoyed boundless glory.

Unfortunately, a great upheaval had forced them to leave their homeland and hide away in these deep mountains and old forests.

In a large courtyard, nearly twenty Huang Family elders sat in two rows. Their eyes gleamed with restrained light, their auras deep and steady, and every one of them had reached the Innate Realm.

Seated in the place of honor was the current Huang Family patriarch, Huang Yuanzong.

He looked to be middle-aged, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. His aura was like an abyss, like an ocean—unfathomable.

"Elders."

Huang Yuanzong spoke, breaking the silence in the courtyard. His voice was somewhat low.

"I called you all here today to discuss the future of our Huang Family. Where do we go from here?"

At his words, the atmosphere in the courtyard grew even heavier.

Huang Yuanzong's gaze swept across every elder present.

Some lowered their eyes and said nothing, some furrowed their brows, and some had resentment lurking in their eyes.

A relatively young Huang Family elder cupped his hands. Frowning, he asked, "Patriarch, can't our Huang Family return to the Ancestral Land?"

Huang Yuanzong gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

The Huang Family's First Elder sighed. "We may never be able to return to the Ancestral Land."

"Are the Gongsun Family and Qu Family really that useless? To support them, our Huang