Before he had finished speaking, Liu Yu felt an appraising gaze fall on him, as though examining something.
His extraordinarily keen spiritual perception allowed him to clearly sense that gaze sweeping over him from head to toe, seemingly intent on seeing through him inside and out.
In an instant, Liu Yu felt a crushing pressure, and his body instinctively tensed.
Being scrutinized so closely and thoroughly by a Nascent Soul True Lord was hardly a pleasant experience.
But after his initial alarm, he quickly relaxed. After all, he had done nothing that could not bear the light of day.
There were no flaws in his apparent cultivation, so he had no need to deliberately conceal it. He had also tied up all the loose ends surrounding his ambush and killing of the Dao One Holy Son.
"No need for such ceremony. Rise."
Two breaths later, True Lord Qingshui's gentle voice rang out.
"Yes."
Liu Yu rose at his words. Seeing that the other man's expression remained kindly, he inwardly breathed a little easier.
"I have already heard about you from Guo Poyun."
"This mission was no easy task. Ordinarily, even a squad of Golden Core cultivators might not have been able to complete it."
"Yet you accomplished it single-handedly. Your performance was indeed commendable."
After several breaths of silence, True Lord Qingshui voiced his approval.
"It was merely good fortune. Elder, I am unworthy of such praise!"
Liu Yu offered a modest reply while secretly trying to guess his intentions.
"Very good, very good."
"Your strength far surpasses your peers, yet you are neither arrogant nor conceited. Of the juniors who have recently joined the alliance, you likely have the greatest potential."
"One day, you stand a good chance of shattering your core and forming a Nascent Soul!"
True Lord