Refining the Spiritual Treasures, Journey to Yang Pass, Ancient Quasi-Saints!

The two sat on the ground, talking of everything under heaven and reminiscing about the past.

Deep within the Blade Forest lay the Heavenly Mandate Blade Sect's most closely guarded ground. Ordinary disciples were forbidden to enter without permission. When Yan Guochen broke through there, his aura stirred; Li Beichen made no effort to hide his presence either. The sect's experts soon sensed them both.

The first to arrive was an elderly Immortal Lord, the sect's most senior patriarch, followed closely by several Heaven-Realm True Immortals.

They had come to investigate and make sure Yan Guochen's breakthrough had gone smoothly. Instead, from afar they saw the figure who had just broken through sitting in the heart of the Blade Forest, drinking with someone.

The elderly Immortal Lord stopped short the moment he recognized the other man's face. He raised a hand, signaling those behind him to halt.

The Heaven-Realm True Immortals did not understand at first. Then they followed his gaze, saw the face of the man drinking with Yan Guochen, and held their breath.

No one took another step forward. No one made a sound to disturb them.

Beichen of Great Luo, the Heavenly Court's Judicial Heavenly God, a true Great Luo Golden Immortal of the World of the Living, sat across from Yan Guochen and drank with him. He was utterly at ease, as though two old friends had reunited after years apart. He showed none of a heavenly god's lofty airs.

The sect's elderly Immortal Lord watched in silence for a while, then gave a quiet order.

"Fall back. Don't disturb them."

The figures withdrew soundlessly to a hundred paces away. They kept watch over the Blade Forest from afar, neither leaving nor drawing near, leaving Li Beichen and Yan Guochen their time together.

They had always