Most people felt their eyes blur as a figure suddenly appeared atop the artificial rockery in the garden. This man wore a bright red Daoist robe, featuring a sharp mouth and monkey-cheeks, making for a rather unimpressive appearance. Standing high above and looking down, he lacked even a shred of overbearing pressure, acting instead more like a giant macaque without a shred of proper decorum. Sweeping his gaze in a circle, he grinned and said,
"Good grief, so many of you came today? It almost wasn't worth Xiao Mi running his legs off just to hand out invitations."
A low chuckle rose in the garden, but more people loudly greeted him and offered formal salutes: "Greetings, Immortal Master Xuanyuan."
Feng Yu drew in a breath, saying half in alarm and half in delight, "It really is Immortal Master Xuanyuan. I never imagined Mi Tuo would actually be able to invite him."
"This person is..."
Feng Yu said with wonder, "Daoist Brother Nanhu must have come from the northern interior. Immortal Master Xuanyuan is a figure known to everyone in the southern lands. Among the rogue cultivators of the world, after being crippled by demonic tribulations to the point that their cultivation was entirely ruined, there hasn't been a second cultivator heard of in all these years who was able to rebuild their foundation and reach the Void-Stepping upper stage, standing half a step into longevity."
"Oh?"
"They say it's half a step into longevity, but some people say he has already broken through the three barriers and attained everlasting longevity. Heh, everyone says something different, but regardless, this..."
He did not continue, merely raising a thumb.
Gu Yan carefully sized up the one on the rockery, wanting to know if this man truly had stepped into longevity. Yet the moment