The instant the stone door opened, an aura mingling anxiety, scrutiny, and overwhelming pressure struck Lin Qingzhu in the face like a tangible tidal wave.
Her breath caught sharply.
Outside the door, four figures stood in silence.
At their head was the alliance leader of the Purple-Gold Immortal Vein, dressed in a dragon robe. His usual composure was gone, and his brows were knotted into three deep furrows.
Beside him stood Emperor Jiang Wu, broad and imposing, his aura domineering. His gaze flashed like lightning, as though he could pierce the stone door and see into the deepest reaches of the chamber.
Old Ancestor Xuanming wore a grim expression, rolling two pitch-black beads between his fingers as a faint Cold Qi lingered around him.
Old Ancestor Cangwu leaned on a long staff of ancient wood. His aged eyes were cloudy, yet an indescribable urgency shone through them.
Any one of these four could make the Central Province quake three times over.
Now, however, they resembled four parents barred from an examination hall, all their majesty reduced to pure anxiety.
"How is... young friend Zhou?"
The alliance leader spoke first, his voice restrained. Neither joy nor anger could be heard in it, but he could not conceal its taut urgency.
Under pressure that nearly froze her divine soul, Lin Qingzhu forced herself to straighten her back and spoke as Zhou Xuan had instructed, neither servile nor overbearing.
"Zhou Xuan has awakened."
At those words, the stagnant aura around the four men visibly eased.
Lin Qingzhu continued, "He asks that the alliance leader enter alone for a private discussion."
She had barely finished speaking, and the alliance leader had yet to take a step.
"Absolutely not!"
Old Ancestor Xuanming was the first to object. He stepped forward, and the temperature around them