The Immortal Realm.
The Fifth Heaven, Luofu Immortal Mountain.
A sea of clouds drifted, and the immortal mountain loomed ethereal.
Across all of Luofu Immortal Mountain, only a handful of terraces and pavilions dotted the slopes. Simple though they were, they had an air of carefree ease all their own.
At the mountain's summit, beneath an ancient immortal pine whose canopy spread like wings, a small patch of green lawn shimmered with lush, precious light.
A breeze passed, gently swaying the tips of the grass as wisps of immortal energy spilled forth.
A prayer mat rested on the lawn, and seated upon it was a frail old Daoist whose aura was restrained to the utmost.
White clouds wreathed him, and immortal birds wheeled through the air.
Before him stood a round divine mirror of flowing light, upright like a sheen of water-a curtain of light formed through magic.
Ever since Jiang Yang had appeared, Gou Daoren had been watching him fight Futuzi, then the assembled immortals, and finally Ananda.
From time to time, he clicked his tongue in wonder.
"This outsider's fighting strength is truly formidable. He practically has the bearing of a young Immortal Lord."
"No, even sharper and more overbearing than the Immortal Lord was back then!"
At the end, he added another sigh.
"Young people these days still don't know how treacherous this world is, how dangerous!"
"Haven't they heard that only those who live to the end are invincible?"
Then Ananda broke through.
He voiced another admiring sigh.
"There is one more among our ranks!"
"This Ananda kept a low profile for a long time, and the moment he emerged, he broke through. Disciple, look—that shows a little trace of our Dao of Play It Safe."
"A pity he stole the limelight this time. Now the