News of the Celestial Court envoy's crushing defeat did not spread publicly across Purple Palace Isle.
At least, not in the short term.
After all, a Great Luo Golden Immortal had gone to Penglai under Dongwang Gong's decree, only to fail to erect the Celestial Court Dao Stele and instead get slapped into the sea by a leaf. Saying such a thing out loud would somewhat damage the brand image of the leader of the male immortals.
Inside the great hall.
Dongwang Gong looked at the pale-faced Daoist below him, his expression turning truly grave for the first time.
"A leaf?"
The Daoist lowered his head. Though he desperately did not want to admit it, he could only nod.
"This subordinate would not dare exaggerate in the slightest."
"That Luxuan merely plucked an ordinary leaf at random, yet it shattered all of this subordinate's divine abilities. This subordinate suspects... he may have borrowed the power of the Penglai Primordial Formation and the immortal isle's origin."
This was the only reasonable explanation he had come up with on his way back.
They were both Great Luo.
Even if Luxuan truly had Great Luo Perfection cultivation, he should not have been able to suppress him so completely with a casual leaf.
Unless that strike had not been Luxuan's own power, but the might of all heaven and earth across Penglai.
Dongwang Gong had clearly considered this as well.
A top-tier blessed land could naturally possess an exceedingly terrifying innate restraining formation.
And as the master of Penglai, it was not entirely impossible for Luxuan to use the formation outside the island to suppress a Great Luo.
"It seems this man truly has some tricks up his sleeve."
Dongwang Gong spoke blandly.
"But a single innate formation is not enough to make the Celestial Court yield."
This time, he did not send just one person.
Three Great Luo.
Thirty-six Taiyi Golden Immortals.
Along with a group of Celestial Court cultivators proficient in formations.
Their goal was simple.
To determine whether Luxuan truly possessed such strength, or merely held the advantage of Penglai's terrain.
Several months later.
A vast expanse of immortal light appeared once more in the seas outside Penglai.
Three Great Luo stood at the forefront. Behind them, the auras of the Taiyi cultivators connected as one, faintly sealing off hundreds of millions of miles of sea.
This time, they did not even bother with pleasantries.
The leading Great Luo directly produced a violet-gold immortal talisman.
"By decree of the Imperial Lord."
"Penglai refuses the Celestial Court's authority and has further injured a Celestial Court envoy without cause. We have come today to hold it accountable."
"Luxuan, come out and meet us!"
His voice pierced through the innate restraining formation and echoed thunderously above Penglai.
Bixiao, who had been cultivating on Enlightenment Cliff, was the first to open her eyes.
"They're here again?"
Yunxiao and Qiongxiao beside her swiftly ended their cultivation as well.
They had never held much goodwill toward the Celestial Court.
The last envoy had arrived demanding to register them in the Celestial Court's immortal rolls, then used the pressure of a Great Luo to force their master down. Had their master's strength not been sufficient, the three sisters knew exactly what that so-called "accountability" would have become.
Luxuan's figure silently appeared atop Enlightenment Cliff.
Bixiao immediately hurried over.
"Master, are you going to throw leaves at them again this time?"
"..."
Luxuan gave her a glance.
"Do you think your master has nothing better to do?"
Bixiao chuckled.
"It was mostly because that move looked pretty cool."
Luxuan swept his divine sense across the area outside the island.
He naturally thought little of the three Great Luo.
What truly piqued his interest were the thirty-six Taiyi Golden Immortals behind them.
The Three Cloud Sisters had remained in Penglai cultivating ever since becoming his disciples.
They had cultivation techniques.
They had spirit treasures.
And they certainly did not lack places to comprehend the Dao.
There was only one thing missing.
Actual combat.
If they cultivated behind closed doors forever, even the finest talent could eventually become a flower raised in a greenhouse.
Now, the Celestial Court had thoughtfully delivered several dozen sparring partners of suitable cultivation, even saving him the expense of an appearance fee.
With such excellent service, Luxuan would have felt embarrassed to refuse.
"Do you want to go out and give it a try?"
The Three Cloud Sisters were all stunned upon hearing this.
Qiongxiao was the first to react. The Mystic Origin Immortal-Slaying Sword in her hand gave a soft hum.
"Master, are you saying you want us to fight the Celestial Court?"
"Correct."
Luxuan looked at the three of them.
"You have cultivated for years and each made progress, yet you have never truly fought anyone."
"The Taiyi cultivators outside are one major realm above you. They are perfect for showing you exactly how capable you are now."
Bixiao immediately became eager to try.
"What about those three Great Luo?"
"They are none of your concern."
Luxuan's tone was calm.
"With your master here, they will not be able to touch you."
With those words, the final trace of hesitation in the three sisters' hearts vanished completely.
After all, they were innate sacred beings who had taken form. They had never lacked courage in their bones.
And now they had a master who could hurl leaves at Great Luo. What was there to fear?
Outside Penglai.
The Celestial Court party waited for some time, yet Luxuan still did not appear.
The leading Great Luo's expression gradually turned cold.
"It seems that last victory truly made this man forget the immensity of heaven and earth."
He was just about to order a forceful assault.
When the clouds and mist ahead suddenly parted.
Three graceful figures emerged side by side.
Yunxiao wore white robes as pure as snow.
Qiongxiao wore green robes and held a sword.
Bixiao carried the Golden Flood-Dragon Scissors over her shoulder, looking nothing at all like she had come to negotiate.
The Celestial Court party was visibly taken aback.
"Where is Luxuan?"
A Taiyi Golden Immortal asked in a deep voice.
Yunxiao's expression remained calm.
"Master is busy."
Bixiao added from the side.
"You can fight us first."
The expressions of the Celestial Court party immediately became rather colorful.
Three Golden Immortals.
They wanted their thirty-six Taiyi to fight them first?
What was this supposed to be?
Humiliation?
Someone in the rear even burst out laughing.
"A few Golden Immortal juniors dare speak such wild words."
"Do you truly think that relying on a few spirit treasures means you can cross an entire major realm and contend against Taiyi?"
Qiongxiao had no interest in wasting words on him.
The Mystic Origin Immortal-Slaying Sword instantly left its sheath.
Clang!
A sword light even more condensed than it had been decades ago streaked across ten thousand miles.
The Taiyi who had just spoken changed expression slightly and raised his hand, producing a shield that was a Mid-grade Innate Spirit Treasure.
Boom!
The sword light descended.
The immortal shield shook violently.
Though it did not break, the terrifying sharpness still forced that Taiyi back several hundred miles.
The laughter across the field instantly vanished.
Qiongxiao stood with her sword in hand.
"Next."
Bixiao's eyes lit up.
"Second Sister, leave a few for me!"
As her words fell, the Golden Flood-Dragon Scissors had already transformed into two golden divine dragons and soared into the sky.
Yunxiao shook her head helplessly.
Her two younger sisters usually looked perfectly normal, each in her own way.
But whenever it was time to fight, why did they suddenly act as if dinner had been served?
She raised her hand and formed a seal.
Thirty-six streams of cloud qi silently rose from the sea.
A Cloud Formation, not particularly vast yet perfectly enclosing and protecting all three sisters, slowly took shape.
The three Celestial Court Great Luo in the distance grew serious as they watched this scene.
Three Golden Immortals.
Three Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasures.
And an innate Cloud Formation that had already begun to reveal its mysteries.
They finally understood somewhat why Luxuan had dared let his three disciples emerge alone.
The equipment of these juniors was truly absurd.
"Since they are courting death themselves, capture them first."
The leading Great Luo waved his hand.
All thirty-six Taiyi advanced at once.
The next moment.
Immortal light exploded across the sky above the Eastern Sea.
The Three Cloud Sisters' first battle of true significance had officially begun.
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