"A Nascent Soul Realm cultivator? Impossible! Any lineage with a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator can enter the Core Family directly once it passes inspection!" Du Chengfeng exclaimed upon hearing this.
"Oh? Then who is coming...?"
Whoosh! Before they could discuss anything further, a streak of escaping light shot toward them as swiftly as lightning. Its speed was unbelievable; in the blink of an eye, it had reached them.
"Hmm?" The newcomer was a red-robed elder of medium build, with an imposing face, fiery-red Daoist robes, and equally fiery hair and beard. Surprise crossed his face when he saw them. After looking them over, he asked, "Which lineage do you belong to? What was that burst of white light just now?"
"Senior, we are cultivators from the Du Household of Heavenly Lake City," Du Chengfeng hurriedly answered respectfully, though he did not explain the white light. After a pause, he hastily asked, "May I ask whether you are Blazing Flame Daoist of the Mystic Heaven Way?"
The cultivators pursuing them had flown down toward the foot of the mountain as soon as the elder appeared and had already gone into hiding.
"That I am." The imposing Blazing Flame Daoist nodded, then asked, "So you are the cultivators from the Du Household of Heavenly Lake City. Then the one who released that white light must be the cultivator with the light immortal root?" Although he phrased it as a question, his eyes remained fixed on Dong Santong.
"That was me, Senior," Dong Santong replied respectfully, showing a rare moment of seriousness.
"Haha! Excellent! You really have advanced to the Golden Core Stage!" Blazing Flame Daoist laughed. Suddenly, he turned to examine Li Xiaoya, a flicker of astonishment appearing on his face. "Then this other young man must be Li Xiaoya?" From his