(The Six Paths Sage: for a visual reference, see the sealing figure that appeared during Six Paths: Planetary Devastation when Naruto and Sasuke sealed Kaguya. Essentially an enhanced version of Susanoo.)
Outside the Inner Academy, in a vast forest.
"Zi Yan, what exactly is your relationship with that Ling Feng?"
At that moment, Su Qian stood atop a large tree, curiously questioning the petite, adorable girl in white beside him.
Zi Yan, however, was gazing excitedly at the two men in the sky ahead: Ling Feng and Mang Tianchi, who had agreed to spar.
"He's my big brother Ling Feng."
Zi Yan answered casually, but Su Qian was clearly dissatisfied and pressed further. "Then who is this Ling Feng of yours? Where does he come from? Do you know?"
"I'm not too sure about that either. I met Big Brother Ling Feng in the Medicinal Herb Treasury. He treats me really well. He said he wanted me to join his faction, and he even refined pills for me to eat, so I agreed."
As she spoke, Zi Yan pulled a pill from her robes and popped it into her mouth, munching away with loud crunches.
A faction?
Su Qian raised his white brows. "What faction?"
"Crunch, crunch... mmph, I think... mmph... it's called... something Heavenly Palace."
Zi Yan answered as she ate. Though her words were muffled, Su Qian still caught the key phrase.
"The Heavenly Palace?"
Su Qian could not help looking at Elder Qing beside him. They exchanged glances before secretly communicating through voice transmissions. "Old Qing, is this Heavenly Palace that new faction that recently emerged on the Northwest Continent?"
"Yes."
"Then it seems this Heavenly Palace isn't nearly as simple as it appears."
Su Qian narrowed his eyes and gazed toward Ling Feng. Elder Qing also