On the twenty-fifth of the eighth month, after traveling through numerous lands for half a month, Fire Emperor Li Han, one of the Azure Cloud Sect's supreme experts and Probationary Grand Elders, finally crossed the many realms and returned to the vast Starfield adjoining the Spirit-Taming World.
Just as when Fang Qianyuan had brought the Innate Hundred-Treasure Transforming Furnace back from the Starfield, the sect immediately planned to send a supreme expert to welcome and escort him.
This served two purposes: to show the occasion due ceremony, and to ensure his safety, preventing blind-eyed scoundrels or powerful Rogue Cultivators from the wilds from waylaying him.
As for the great sects and supreme powers, there was actually no need to worry about them. Even if they were interested in such a thing, they would not make a move lightly.
Yu Shixian approached Fang Qianyuan and said, "How about making the trip yourself? If possible, build a good relationship with Grand Elder Li. He is an accomplished senior twenty years older than you, but still considerably younger than your master."
Yu Shixian's words carried a deeper meaning. Since the advent of the Dharma-Ending Age, immortality had become a hopeless dream, and the age of an expert had become an important point of reference beyond cultivation and strength.
For two experts of the same Half-Step Heaven Tier cultivation and Tenth Transformation strength, being ten years younger or ten years older meant very different things.
Of course, youth could also mean shallow foundations, while age might mean deep reserves. When two mighty experts fought directly, there were also relationships of mutual reinforcement and suppression to consider. Some experts were destined to be no match for particular opponents.
But an expert's worth was far more complicated than comparing pieces for an exchange. As a powerhouse