On the eve of the celebration, beneath a moonlit sky, in Elder Deng's cave abode.
"Honored seniors, a pleasure to meet you!"
Elder Deng's cave abode was a small grotto heaven called the Chess-Painted Realm, connected to the Azure Cloud Sect's headquarters. Its scenery was beautiful as a painting. Although its spiritual veins fell short of those in the Immortal Mountain legacy held by the Heavenly Wolf Aristocratic Clan, it was nevertheless a genuine supreme-grade spirit peak.
Fang Qianyuan, Elder Deng, Wolf Saint, Tian Heng, Bai Fuyun, Wu Xun, Yin Shanhe, You Yuan Shao, Ao Qingxiao, Li Chilian, and other mighty figures from the various sects had all gathered here, along with Elder Yu, the Flying Immortal Sect's envoy, and Hai Sheng, the Boundless Sect's envoy. Beneath the moonlight, they sipped tea, discussed the Dao, and spoke freely of great affairs.
As a newly advanced Heaven Tier cultivator, Fang Qianyuan was the most junior of everyone present, so he greeted them with the courtesy due from a junior.
They looked at him with differing gazes, but not one could afford to take him lightly. All promptly returned his greeting.
Bright crystals shone high above the plaza like blazing torches, lighting the surroundings as brightly as day. Apart from Wu Xun, whose true body was simply too enormous and who sat cross-legged on the ground outside the seating area, everyone sat cross-legged on a cushion before a Writing Desk more than seven feet long.
The Writing Desks formed a large circle, with several yards separating each person.
It was an excellent distance, neither so far as to seem distant nor so close that they lacked space between them.
Sitting cross-legged before his Writing Desk, Elder Deng looked around and said, "Fellow Daoists, today our Ten Great Sects have gathered here to