Golden Water City.
The former imperial palace of the Kingdom of Wu.
The majestic palace still stood, but its people were no longer the same.
Now, the plaque above the palace gates had been replaced with "Upper Azure Hall."
It served as Xu Xuan's temporary residence in the Kingdom of Wu.
Inside the great hall, the atmosphere was heavy.
Clad in the Nine-Dragon Imperial Robe, Duanmu Hong sat upright in the seat of honor.
He did his utmost to straighten his back and maintain his dignity as ruler of the Yan Kingdom.
Yet a trace of awkwardness lingered between his brows, impossible to conceal.
His gaze flicked to his side from time to time.
A Cloud Bed stood to one side of the hall, wreathed in spiritual energy.
Dressed in blue, Xu Xuan sat quietly upon it with his eyes closed.
He seemed wholly out of place amid the surrounding air of menace, yet also resembled a sleeping, ferocious tiger that might wake at any moment.
He did not speak.
He did not even reveal the slightest trace of his aura, yet his presence made the entire hall so quiet that a falling pin could be heard.
Below him.
Stood the leaders of the dozen or so cultivation Lineages that remained within the Kingdom of Wu.
At that moment, all of them bowed with their heads lowered, trembling with fear.
They did not even have the courage to look up.
They could only stare fixedly at the tips of their shoes as fine beads of cold sweat seeped from their foreheads.
Facing the two Foundation Establishment cultivators above them.
Especially that silent State Preceptor in blue.
They barely dared to breathe.
Only a short time ago.
That direct disciple at Foundation Establishment from the Blood Baleful Sect, whom they had