Mystic Heaven Hall.
Han Xuanji was dressed in a green robe, the sleeves fluttering lightly. His Daoist aura was restrained, seemingly ordinary, yet he possessed a powerful aura that suppressed heaven and earth.
Beside him, Li Taiqing, dressed in white, stood tall and straight, following Han Xuanji. Yun Wuji, Jiang Hao, and several other disciples followed closely behind, all with refined auras and solemn expressions.
Naturally, Little White cried and begged to come along, and even dragged Little Gold along for company.
Now that Little White is at least at the Hunyuan Realm, although he's nothing special among the crowd, he's still enough to stand firm among all the Heavenly Immortal and gods.
Let's go.
Han Xuanji spoke calmly, but before he finished speaking, nine dragon roars suddenly resounded in the sky, shaking the heavens.
The sound aroused doubt in everyone's hearts.
Immediately, a golden light appeared, and a magnificent, ancient-looking carriage slowly emerged— the Nine Dragons Aloeswood Carriage.
The chariot was engraved with intricate Daoist patterns, and was surrounded by a faint dragon aura and auspicious light. Nine majestic golden dragons stood tall with their heads bowed, respectfully supporting the chariot. Each dragon exuded a powerful aura and was imposing.
"Is this Master's vehicle?"
"How impressive!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, as it was the first time they had ever seen Han Xuanji bring out this treasure.
Han Xuanji lightly touched the ground with his toes and stepped into the carriage first, followed closely by his close disciples Li Taiqing, Yun Wuji, Jiang Hao, and others.
Before long, the Nine Dragons Aloeswood Carriage slowly rose into the sky, with nine divine dragons roaring in unison, carrying everyone slowly towards the Heavenly Court.
Wherever the chariot passed, the Dao Principles bowed their heads. Traversing time and space was only a momentary thing, and there was no discomfort whatsoever. It was truly the most stylish and top-tier vehicle in the Immortal Realm.
They soon arrived at the Heavenly Court. When they saw the Nine Dragons Aloeswood Carriage, the heavenly soldiers and generals on duty along the way bowed and paid their respects with awe, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Although it's unknown which important figure has arrived, this vehicle is clearly of great power.
The news of Han Xuanji's arrival quickly reached the Heavenly Emperor's attention.
This time, the Heavenly Emperor's treatment was undoubtedly even greater.
Unlike the last time Han Xuanji attended the banquet, this time the Heavenly Emperor personally led all the Heavenly Court Emperors and Celestial Officials to stand and wait at the Southern Heavenly Gate, dressed in imperial robes and with respectful expressions.
" Your Great Heavenly Venerable's esteemed presence is an honor to receive you. I have failed to greet you properly and hope for your forgiveness!"
The Heavenly Emperor strode forward, bowed slightly, and spoke humbly.
That respect was not a deliberate pretense; even the way he addressed people was much more polite. Ever since Han Xuanji displayed his strength, the Heavenly Emperor had become increasingly aware of the gap between the two, especially now that the situation was becoming more and more tense, and the entire Immortal Realm had to rely on Han Xuanji. Their relationship had changed from being equals to Han Xuanji being the superior.
Han Xuanji nodded slightly and said calmly:
"Fellow Daoist Heavenly Emperor, you are too kind."
He appeared completely at ease, showing no discomfort whatsoever; on the contrary, he was secretly pleased.
That's just how it is in the Immortal Realm: strength is paramount, and those who know when to yield are the heroes.
At the last banquet, he treated the Heavenly Emperor as an equal. Now that the other party has taken the initiative to lower his stance, it is simply an inevitable result of his increased strength, and there is nothing to be pretentious about.
Li Taiqing and several disciples followed closely behind, bowing to the Heavenly Emperor with neither servility nor arrogance.
They were disciples of the Mystic Heaven Dao Palace, personally taught by Han Xuanji, so naturally they didn't need to fawn over the Heavenly Court.
Led by the Heavenly Emperor and the celestial gods of the Heavenly Court, Han Xuanji headed to the High Heaven Hall. He also took a look at the celestial gods of the Heavenly Court and could only say that they had made considerable progress. Compared to the last time, there were many more Hunyuan experts, but there were no new people who had stepped into the Hunyuan Taiji Realm, let alone the Hunyuan Wuji realm.
Upon entering the High Heaven Hall, one finds it already bustling with activity, yet orderly and well-organized.
On both sides stood various Heavenly Immortal beings and gods, including powerful figures from great sects and holy lands, ancient masters who had lived in seclusion for many years, and powerful Rogue Cultivator who had come from the Chaos to attend the banquet. All of them possessed profound auras and high cultivation levels, and among them were many powerful figures at the Hunyuan Taiji Realm.
But the moment Han Xuanji stepped into the hall, all the sounds instantly subsided, and countless gazes were cast upon him, filled with awe, curiosity, and apprehension, yet no one dared to show the slightest disrespect.
Han Xuanji's gaze swept across the hall, his expression indifferent, and he walked straight to the main seat specially prepared for him by the Heavenly Emperor.
After Han Xuanji took his seat, the Heavenly Emperor slowly ascended the Heavenly Emperor's throne and announced the start of the Peach of Immortality Gathering.
The Peach of Immortality Gathering officially began, with celestial music resounding throughout the hall. Celestial officials served crystal-clear Peach of Immortality, mellow and sweet celestial wine, and various rare and precious Spirit Cuisine. The aroma permeated the entire High Heaven Hall, and all the Heavenly Immortal beings raised their cups, their expressions joyful, temporarily setting aside their worldly thoughts.
The Heavenly Emperor's gaze remained fixed on Han Xuanji, seated at the head of the table. Once the atmosphere in the hall had eased slightly, he rose, picked up his wine cup, and slowly walked to Han Xuanji, a smile on his face and a friendly tone in his voice:
"Fellow Daoist Han, today, on the occasion of this Peach of Immortality Banquet, I would like to offer you a toast."
"Thanks to your presence at the Mystic Heaven Dao Palace, which has kept the Chaos at bay, our Immortal Realm has been able to maintain peace until now, and to successfully reclaim the Devil Domain. This kindness will be forever etched in our memories by me and all living beings of the Immortal Realm."
Han Xuanji raised his hand to pick up the celestial wine in front of him, his fingertips lightly touching the rim of the cup, his tone calm:
"You're too kind, fellow Daoist. It's merely my duty."
Having said that, he took a small sip. The immortal wine entered his throat and transformed into a wisp of pure Spiritual Qi, merging into his body. However, it did not cause any fluctuation in his cultivation level. At his current level, ordinary immortal wine could only be considered a pastime.
At first, the Heavenly Emperor didn't talk about serious matters, but just chatted with Han Xuanji.
Speaking of the Devil Ancestor, he's like a stray dog; the Myriad Worlds Merchant Alliance isn't any better; and some people in the Immortal Realm are truly shameless.
Han Xuanji nodded slightly, becoming a listener.
Seeing that he didn't seem to mind, the Heavenly Emperor became even more unrestrained, his tone becoming more indignant and unconsciously more forceful:
"What I despise most are those so-called 'great powers' of my Immortal Realm! Back when the Immortal Realm was invaded by the Devil Ancestor and was on the verge of destruction, I summoned them several times, but they either hid themselves or made excuses to avoid it, not daring to even show their faces!"
At this point, he sighed heavily, his face full of helplessness and disdain:
"But what about now? The Immortal Realm is at peace, and rumors of the secret to transcendence have even spread. These people have jumped out one by one, visiting me every day, chattering incessantly around me, subtly inquiring about the Dao Ancestor's secrets and seeking fortuitous opportunity for transcendence. Their faces practically scream 'I want the Dao Ancestor's secrets!'"
"They don't even consider that if the Immortal Realm had truly perished back then, even if they possessed this secret of transcendence, would it have been their turn? Now they want to reap the benefits without sowing, attempting to ascend to heaven in one step using the so-called 'Secret of the Dao Ancestor.' They are utterly shameless!"
The Heavenly Emperor grew increasingly angry as he spoke, clearly troubled by these people over the years.
These people dared not disturb Han Xuanji, but they had clearly set their sights on the Heavenly Emperor, this "easy target."
Han Xuanji listened and felt some sympathy for the Heavenly Emperor. He said that countless powerful figures had emerged from the Immortal Realm, so it seemed that only the Heavenly Emperor was putting in the effort during the simulation.
It can only be said that even someone with Tongtian cultivation does not necessarily possess noble character.
However, Han Xuanji was somewhat understanding. After all, the Devil Ancestor was indeed powerful enough, Hunyuan Wuji Perfection. Not everyone had the courage to fight against him.
After venting his anger, the Heavenly Emperor pondered for a moment and said:
"Fellow Daoist Han, speaking of your disciple Yun Wuji, he is exceptionally talented and has a calm and steady temperament. He has now reached the Hunyuan Taiji Realm and has a heart to protect the Dao. Judging from his demeanor, he is quite similar to the Emperor himself in his prime."
Does he intend to succeed to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor and rule the Immortal Realm realm?