Over a dozen prized disciples and elders of the Four Great Immortal Sects were waiting for the Taihua Sect members, the last to arrive. A beautiful woman in a sapphire-blue court dress rose with a beaming smile.
"Elder Zhou Mo, after all these years, you are still just as you were back then... It truly gladdens me."
Zhou Mo cupped his hands. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lan Ling."
Lü Bufan and the other two also bowed in greeting. "Greetings, Elder Lan Ling."
The woman nodded. "Excellent, all outstanding young talents of our Immortal Sects... This gentleman, this Attendant must be Lü Bufan, the Taihua Sect's Sect Hall Attendant? You do indeed have an added touch of a stalwart Martial Warrior's heroic spirit. Excellent..."
Lü Bufan froze for a moment. He said nothing and merely bowed again, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hu Luo'er standing expressionlessly at attention on the steps beside the seat of honor. He knew... word of his affairs had probably already spread.
After all, a Martial Warrior and Cultivator practicing Dao-Martial Dual Cultivation... making it safely into the Middle Third Realm was still a peculiar thing.
Elder Lan Ling arranged for everyone to sit, then briefly introduced them to the disciples of the other three great Immortal Sects. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, everyone began drinking to musical accompaniment. A troupe of dancers performed for them like lotus blossoms emerging from water, alluring without being vulgar-a refreshing sight.
Lü Bufan quietly surveyed the disciples of the other three great Immortal Sects. Of the five disciples from the Northern Immortal Sect, four were female Cultivators and only one was a young man. His expression was impassive, and he showed no interest in making friends.
The Liu Clan of Mount Zhlin had sent three young