Hidden Scales Emerge

Song Prefecture, Golden Cicada Temple.

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This ancient temple, a thousand years old, stood atop a mountain peak, its halls grand and imposing, its giant trees soaring into the sky.

Sandalwood incense curled through the air, and the Buddha statues sat in solemn majesty.

Morning bells and evening drums cleansed away the clamor of the mortal world.

Though this temple lay far from the flames of war, it was now shrouded in the heavy stillness before a mountain storm.

Clang—

With the toll of a bell, one vast aura after another—solemn, deep, sharp, or inscrutable—ripped through the sky and descended upon the square before the temple.

The owners of these auras were all Sacred Embryo realm experts of the Central Plains.

At this time of gathering storms, these Sacred Embryo experts had all arrived at the ancient Golden Cicada Temple with their own Return-to-True-level disciples, subordinates, and relatives, their expressions grave.

There was Tie Zhenyue, the Supreme Elder of the Ironclad Alliance, with needle-like hair and beard, heavy armor draped over his body, a resolute face, hawk-like eyes, and a gigantic door-panel sword on his back. (Early Sacred Embryo realm.)

There was the Marquis Who Pacified the South, Chu Xiong, clad in a python robe and jade belt, dignified in bearing, with a square face, a splendid beard flowing down his chest, eyes as deep as an abyss, and majesty as vast as the sea. (Mid Sacred Embryo realm.)

There was Li Muyun, Grand Commander of Western Liang, in silver armor and white robes, a curved saber at his waist. Handsome and unruly in temperament, though over eighty, he remained young and dashing. (Early Sacred Embryo realm.)

There was Hong Tianba, chief