Heaven Dou Imperial City, at the palace's main gate.
Ling Jing stood before the gilded gates, a full hundred feet tall, his expression calm.
Spirit Hall's strength had long since dwarfed that of the two great empires. Its continued inaction was merely a means of subtly eroding the two empires' standing among the people.
Thus, on this visit to borrow the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, Ling Jing had no intention of taking a roundabout approach. He simply strode openly up to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Of course, he had not come alone.
Bibi Dong, Ice Empress, Snow Empress, Ah Yin, and Xiao Wu all accompanied Ling Jing-Snow Empress had left all matters in the Far North to the Titan Snow Demon King, Ah Tai. Her stated reason was to accompany the Ice God's successor and ensure he completed the Ice God's god trial smoothly.
That reason was more than sufficient, so the Titan Snow Demon King had not suspected a thing. Only Ice Bear King Xiaobai had expressed his reluctance to part with Snow Empress.
Truthfully, Ling Jing had rather wanted to bring Xiaobai along as well. After all, Ice Bear King Xiaobai had already reached the cultivation level of a ferocious beast and could use Illusory Transformation to assume human form. Even if humans saw him, he would not cause any panic.
But... after thinking it over carefully, Ling Jing had abandoned the idea.
Although Xiaobai was far from weak, with Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and Bibi Dong present, Ling Jing had no shortage of bodyguards, much less top-tier fighting power. Rather than bring Xiaobai along to play third wheel, he might as well leave him in the Far North.
Besides... if he brought Xiaobai too, their group would have far too little humanity in it.
**"Who goes