A heavenly pool hung in the void, its waters reflecting the sea of clouds in the highest heavens.
At its heart stood a towering parasol tree, translucent as colored glass, with the Dao Rhythms of successive inheritors flowing among its branches and leaves.
Above the treetop, an Azure-Gold Phoenix Egg floated in midair, turning gently in the breeze. Each rotation drew the Nine Heavens Astral Wind into swirling convergence.
Nine Wind Steles stood beside the pool, engraved with words on mastering the wind and attaining the Dao.
As the wind passed, the steles rang like a phoenix crying across the nine heavens, as though calling to those who came after-to soar straight upward and pierce the skies.
"Why hasn't the Holy Son come to meet us yet?"
"I heard the Holy Son joined the Sun-Slaying Alliance. I hope nothing has happened to him."
"It shouldn't have. The Holy Son has always been cautious. He never fights a battle he isn't confident of winning. Besides, our Soaring Holy Land has always excelled at escape techniques. Even if he couldn't defeat his opponent, there are fewer than five people below Spirit Transformation in all the Nine Provinces who could stop him from escaping."
On the platform surrounding the pool, over a hundred members of the Soaring Holy Land waited.
Just then, a young man with deep, penetrating eyes suddenly looked in one direction.
His eyebrows were slightly long, and now they stirred despite the absence of wind.
"I sense something unusual in the wind. Something may be about to change." His gaze grew grave. "Quite a few living beings are heading toward us."
"There's no need to worry, Elder. It's probably the Sun-Slaying Alliance. The Holy Son is a member, so they won't target us," another disciple said.
As he spoke, he