"Because we were burdened with too many things before, we had no time to appreciate things," Leng Yue said softly, her gaze fixed on the distance, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes. "Now, the Gate of the Demon Realm has been sealed, the Demon Venerable has been sealed, the threat to humanity has been completely eliminated, and we can finally put down our burdens and take a good look at this world."
"That's right." Huiming touched his bald head and grinned. "In all my years, this is the first time I've felt that this world is truly fucking beautiful."
Everyone burst into laughter, and even the Snow Empress couldn't help but smile.
"Let's go back to the Ziwei Sect." The Snow Empress waved her hand. "Tonight, we won't leave until we're drunk!"
"Good!"
The crowd shouted in unison, transforming into streaks of light and flying towards the Ziwei Sect.
The Ziwei Sect was brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.
The entire sect was immersed in joy. The news that the Gate of the Demon Realm had been sealed had spread throughout the cultivation world, and various sects sent people to offer their congratulations. Outside the Ziwei Sect's mountain gate, cultivators came in an endless stream to offer their congratulations. Some flew on swords, some rode clouds, some rode spirit beasts, and some came by flying boats, crowding the Ziwei Sect's mountain gate to the point that it was impossible to pass.
Inside the Ziwei Hall, a banquet was laid out. Leaders, elders, and disciples from various sects gathered together, clinking glasses and chatting merrily. The abbots of Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, Qingcheng, Kunlun, and other major sects sat at the head of the table, while Snow Empress sat in the main seat, flanked by her comrades-in-arms, including Qingyunzi, Huiming, Yun Shang, and Leng Yue.
"Come, let us raise our glasses together to celebrate the successful sealing of the Gate of the Demon Realm!" The Shaolin Abbot stood up, raised his glass, and said, "This glass is a toast to the Snow Empress, to all the heroes, and to all the cultivators who fought to protect the human world!"
"Homage to Snow Empress!"
Salute to all heroes!
Respect for humanity!
Everyone raised their glasses and drank them down in one gulp.
Snow Empress put down her wine cup and stood up. "Abbot, you flatter me. Sealing the Gate of the Demon Realm is not my achievement alone, but the achievement of everyone present, the achievement of countless cultivators who fought to protect the mortal world. This cup is a toast to everyone!"
After saying that, Snow Empress poured herself another glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp.
"Bravo!" the crowd cheered in unison.
After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, everyone gradually relaxed and began to talk about their future plans.
"Abbot, what are your plans for the future?" Qingyunzi asked.
The abbot of Shaolin smiled slightly, "This old monk intends to return to Shaolin to continue teaching disciples and passing on the Dharma. Although the Gate of the Demon Realm has been sealed, the demonic obstacles in people's hearts remain, and the transmission of the Dharma must not be interrupted."
The Wudang Sect Leader nodded. "The Abbot is right. The Gate of the Demon Realm has been sealed, but the order of the cultivation world still needs to be maintained. I plan to return to Wudang to reorganize the sect and cultivate a new generation of disciples."
"The same is true for our Emei." The Emei Sect Leader stood up. "We lost many disciples in this great battle and need time to recover."
Other sect leaders also expressed their intention to return to their respective sects, regroup, and cultivate new talent.
Listening to everyone's words, Snow Empress was filled with emotion. These sect leaders were the backbone of the cultivation world, and their sects were an important force in protecting the human world. With them around, the safety of the human world was guaranteed.
" Snow Empress, what are your Ziwei Sect's plans?" the Qingcheng Sect Leader asked.
The Snow Empress pondered for a moment, " The Ziwei Sect's mission is not yet complete. Although the Demon Venerable has been sealed, the threat from the Demon Realm remains. I plan to establish a new guardian organization within the Ziwei Sect, specifically responsible for monitoring the Demon Realm's movements and being ready to respond to any potential threats."
"That's a good idea," the Kunlun Sect Leader agreed. "We need a permanent organization to monitor the Demon Realm; we can't wait until a threat arises to take action at the last minute."
"Holy Maiden, what is the name of this organization?" Yun Shang asked.
The Snow Empress thought for a moment, "Let's call it the ' Heavenly Dao Alliance.' The Heavenly Dao Alliance's mission is to protect the human world and uphold the Heavenly Dao. Members are not divided by sect; only ability and virtue matter. Anyone willing to fight for peace in the human world can join."
"What a fine Heavenly Dao Alliance!" Huiming slammed his hand on the table. "This old monk will be the first to sign up!"
"I'll sign up too!" Yun Shang raised her hand.
"Me too!" Leng Yue said.
Qingyunzi stroked his beard and laughed, "Although I'm old, I can still fight, so count me in."
In an instant, the crowd in the hall was filled with excitement, and many demanded to join the Heavenly Dao Alliance.
Snow Empress waved her hand, "Everyone, please don't rush. The establishment of the Heavenly Dao Alliance will take time. We need to formulate its charter, select members, establish a base, and so on. It can't be completed in a day or two. Everyone, please go back and rest well. When the Heavenly Dao Alliance is officially established, I will send out invitations to all of you."
"Alright!" everyone responded in unison.
As night deepened, the banquet ended, and the leaders and disciples of various sects departed one after another. The Ziwei Hall returned to silence, leaving only the Snow Empress and her few core companions.
The Snow Empress sat in the main seat, toying with a jade token in her hand. It was the token of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, which she had just designed. The front of the token was engraved with the three characters " Heavenly Dao Alliance," and the back was engraved with the eight characters "Protect the Human World, Uphold the Heavenly Dao." The edges of the token were carved with the patterns of the Five Emperors' Divine Artifacts, and the overall design was simple and grand.
"Holy Maiden, do you really intend to establish the Heavenly Dao Alliance?" Qingyunzi asked.
The Snow Empress nodded. "Although the Gate of the Demon Realm has been sealed, the Demon Realm has not disappeared. Although the Demon Venerable has been sealed, his power remains. We cannot let our guard down. We must have a permanent organization to monitor the Demon Realm and be ready to deal with any threats at any time."
"However, establishing such an organization requires a great deal of manpower and resources," Qingyunzi said worriedly. "Although the Ziwei Sect is large and powerful, supporting such an organization will probably be quite a strain."
"There's no need to worry about that," the Snow Empress smiled slightly. "I've already thought it through. The Heavenly Dao Alliance isn't an affiliated organization of the Ziwei Sect, but rather a common organization for the entire human cultivation world. All major sects can send people to join and share the costs. This will both reduce the burden on the Ziwei Sect and enhance communication and cooperation among the sects—a win-win situation."
"That's a great idea," Huiming praised. "The combined strength of all the major sects is far superior to fighting alone."
"Not only that," the Snow Empress continued, " the Heavenly Dao Alliance can also serve as a platform for various sects to exchange cultivation insights and share cultivation resources, thus promoting the development of the entire cultivation world. In this way, the strength of the human realm will grow stronger and stronger, and even if the Demon Realm were to invade again in the future, we would have sufficient strength to deal with it."
Leng Yue nodded. "The Holy Maiden is right. In the past, each sect acted independently, with no interaction between them, and some even had conflicts. This situation must change. The establishment of the Heavenly Dao Alliance can break this situation and truly unite the cultivation world."
"Then it's settled."