Hidden Sea, Penglai.
The Green Mountains were secluded and tranquil; the Mysterious Palace stood solemn.
The palace's design possessed an immortal elegance. Built of Mysterious Wood, it was dark blue-green throughout, with three large characters inscribed on its plaque:
[Palace of Strange Accounts]
A Divine Altar stood in the innermost hall. An immortal painting hung above it, a crescent moon traced in Mystic Ink.
A new ritual altar had been set before the Divine Altar. Carved from Cassia Wood and covered in lunar patterns, it had clearly been fashioned from rare Greater Yin Spirit Treasures and faintly exuded an air of Witchcraft.
A young man stood quietly before it, dressed in deep emerald Daoist robes. His features were archaic, his figure lean, and his aura of "taboo wood" was exceptionally complete, manifesting all manner of fox spirits, ghosts, and spirit monsters, with a sense of the absurd and uncanny.
He was none other than Penglai's sect master, Great True Person Huaiyin!
Like yi wood, taboo wood was a Dao Lineage adept at cultivating clones. However, taboo wood preferred to inhabit plants, while yi wood favored possessing human bodies. The former were called wooden puppets, the latter flesh puppets.
The sect master had deliberately manifested in his original body today, naturally to invite an honored guest.
He reached toward the ritual altar, took a Jade Knife, and slit his finger. Several dark blue-green blood pearls fell onto the wooden altar and slowly seeped into it.
Something seemed to descend from the unseen depths, passing straight through the immortal formation protecting Penglai. Formless, nameless, and soundless, it stirred a response only in the altar built from Greater Yin Spirit Treasures.
Huaiyin looked ahead, his expression growing slightly grave.
A figure had appeared in the hall at some unknown moment, wearing a Ghost