For a time, opinions flew thick and fast. Many cultivators looked curiously in the direction the elders had headed earlier, yet could make nothing of it.
The only thing they could be certain of was that no one was attacking the Night Moon Palace at present.
On a desolate mountain peak within the Night Moon Palace, an aged figure stepped through the void and slowly emerged.
The people of the Night Moon Palace soon recognized the newcomer. They all respectfully lowered their heads and called out in unison, "Ancestor Wangyue!"
Ancestor Wangyue was the elder with the highest seniority and strongest cultivation in the Night Moon Palace. Never mind the elders-even the current palace master had to show him some deference.
Seeing Ancestor Wangyue personally emerge from seclusion, the cultivators felt reassured.
"Rest assured. For as long as I, Wangyue, remain, I will protect the Night Moon Palace. Until then, no one can harm our Night Moon Palace!"
The disciples of the Night Moon Palace could not help nodding at his words. Their ancestor's words carried considerable weight, and his appearance alone was already like a divine needle anchoring the sea.
"We disciples will remember!" The disciples of the Night Moon Palace cupped their fists and knelt in obeisance to Ancestor Wangyue.
Ancestor Wangyue wasted no more words and headed toward the rear garden, the source of it all.
The distance of nearly a hundred li passed beneath Ancestor Wangyue's feet in an instant. In the disciples' eyes, his figure merely flickered slightly before vanishing.
Unfortunately, before three breaths had passed, an even more powerful presence erupted from the rear garden.
Boom!
A pillar of light shot straight into the clouds, even more formidable than the ten pillars from before!
Yet the disciples of the Night Moon Palace were merely left speechless. "..."
Ancestor, you don't seem much different from those elders earlier!
Just what astonishing thing had happened in there to make every elder, and even the ancestor, lose their composure as soon as they went in?
The repeated waves of oppressive pressure in the Night Moon Palace today had already left its disciples feeling helpless, but more than anything, they were curious about what had happened in the rear garden.
Before the disciples could continue gossiping, however, Cui Ranqing's pressure spread outward once again.
This time, the azure sky changed color outright. Many felt the heavens dim and the earth darken as they were forcibly pressed to their knees.
"Disciples of the Night Moon Palace, there is no need to worry. Today, I am exchanging insights on cultivation techniques with the elders!" Cui Ranqing's voice spread throughout the Night Moon Palace through her spiritual power.
After saying this, Cui Ranqing spoke no further, leaving the disciples of the Night Moon Palace intensely curious.
In the rear garden, Yu Hongyan silently swallowed as she faced the powerful figures of the Night Moon Palace. Not only her mother, but even Ancestor Wangyue, who normally seemed free of worldly desires, was staring at her like a tiger eyeing its prey.
"Ancestor, elders, Mother, every word Hongyan has said is true. That information really did suddenly appear in my mind just now," Yu Hongyan said solemnly.
As it turned out, Lin Yu had considered that the cultivators within the ten cities were not enough, so he had also sent a "mass notification" to the top hundred cultivators on the ranking.
After a little thought, Yu Hongyan understood. All of this should have been Lin Yu's doing.
As for verifying it, that was simple enough. The Night Moon Palace was a truly major sect, and naturally, others besides Yu Hongyan had made it onto the Eastern Wasteland Heaven's Chosen Ranking. They only needed to summon the other ranked disciples and ask them to learn the truth.
Ancestor Wangyue nodded at her words, then glanced at the elders behind him.
The elders immediately understood and withdrew in streaks of light. Before long, they had confirmed the news.
"Reporting to the ancestor and the palace master's wife: we have confirmed it with the other ranked disciples in the palace. Every disciple on the ranking received the same message!"
Ancestor Wangyue and Cui Ranqing exchanged a glance. Information appearing directly in the minds of specific people? Such a method was truly unheard of and unseen!
Presumably, the master of that Primordial Hall was also a powerful figure who concealed his true depths.
Become a Saint!
Those simple words represented something countless cultivators could only gaze upon but never reach, especially cultivators of Ancestor Wangyue's age.
Although his strength truly stood at the pinnacle of the Night Moon Palace, at his age, he naturally knew where his own peak lay.
In the entire Eastern Wasteland, there had yet to be a single instance of someone surpassing a Saint.
No matter how powerful other cultivators were, before a true Saint, they were nothing more than insignificant ants!
Being able to glimpse the Heavenly Dao would undoubtedly bring one a step closer to becoming a Saint.
The look in Ancestor Wangyue's eyes changed. Throughout the Night Moon Palace, no one's cultivation could compare to his, and naturally, no one could possess a deeper longing to become a Saint!
However, the Valley of Devouring and Saint King Yunteng's Tomb were not forces to be trifled with either. Had it been some ordinary rare treasure, that perilous region and forbidden ground probably would not have bothered to spare it a glance. But what lay before them now was the Heavenly Dao.
Even recluses like them would probably have to emerge this time.
The coming contest on the Primordial Platform would presumably be another clash of dragons and tigers that no one dared rashly predict.
For the sake of the Heavenly Dao, even the most indifferent cultivators would lose their composure...
And in fact, news of the contest on the Primordial Platform swept across the entire Eastern Wasteland at a tremendous speed.
Although Lin Yu had initially only sent a "mass notification" to the top hundred on the Eastern Wasteland Heaven's Chosen Ranking, the display on the white jade stele and the spread of information among the major sects made the contest on the Primordial Platform known to everyone.
The Heavenly Dao!
Those seemingly simple words drew countless sects that had already withdrawn from the world back into it.
Quite a few of their disciples were on the ranking, so what they sought by emerging now naturally went without saying.
Beyond that, vivid tales about the Primordial Hall spread throughout the Eastern Wasteland.
Some said the Primordial Hall was merely deliberately sowing discord between the light and dark factions. Others said the Primordial Hall had been founded by a Saint, and this was a blessing that Saint had left behind!
In short, there were all sorts of claims. Most sects regarded this suddenly emerged Primordial Hall with three parts curiosity and seven parts wariness. Yet no matter how they investigated, they could uncover no information beyond the white jade stele.
Left with no alternative, the major sects could only instruct their ranked disciples to cultivate diligently and strive for a good result in the contest on the Primordial Platform a month later.
Besides this, news of the Primordial Hegemony Tournament also reached quite a few secluded sects.
"A mere Primordial Hall-what does it have to rely on, daring to make such grand claims!"
"Truly far too arrogant. Let us probe this person's true capabilities!"
"Who knows where this nameless nobody came from? To dare come swaggering over our sect's head-he must be tired of living."