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However, Li Qingshan, who sat in the main seat on the high platform, was not completely absorbed in the excitement below.
His eyes were slightly lowered, seemingly observing the grand event, but in reality, a divine thought had quietly crossed the Void and entered the sea of consciousness of Hua Mingxuan, the leader of the Taixuan Sect and the master of Star Peak, who was watching the ceremony with a smile beside him.
"Sect Leader Hua, there is something I need to discuss with you privately."
Hua Mingxuan's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes flickered almost imperceptibly as he responded with divine thought, "Please speak, Venerable Eastern Exalt. I am all ears."
"This concerns your esteemed family's outstanding scion, Hua Yunfei." Li Qingshan's divine sense remained calm and undisturbed. "Just now, I observed that it seemed to contain hidden fundamental principles. It vaguely exuded a unique charm of 'absorption' and 'returning to the origin,' quite similar to the lineage of a certain astonishing figure recorded in ancient texts. That person was renowned throughout the world for devouring the origins of all kinds of physiques."
Hua Mingxuan's hand holding the cup stiffened almost imperceptibly, causing a slight ripple to appear in the tea.
He was, after all, a powerful figure in charge of a major sect, with a deep and calculating mind. His face remained gentle and smiling as he nodded to an elder below the stage, but his divine sense carried an unprecedented solemnity and a hint of suspicion. " Eastern Exalt, what do you mean by this? Yunfei cultivates the orthodox lineage of our Taixuan Star Peak, the ' Stars Illuminate the Azure Heavens ' method, supplemented by music to achieve enlightenment. How can there be any talk of 'absorbing' it? Furthermore, the person Eastern Exalt refers to, whose lineage was destroyed by numerous holy lands countless millennia ago, has absolutely no connection to our Taixuan Sect!"
He subconsciously denied it, but deep inside, a shadow of unease that had been deliberately ignored for a long time was suddenly lifted by Li Qingshan's words.
Li Qingshan's divine sense remained calm. "The technique can be concealed, but the essence of the Dao cannot be deceived. What I sensed was not the vast, all-encompassing, and guiding meaning of the Taixuan orthodox Star Dao, but a more secretive and domineering core Dao principle of 'devouring' and 'transforming into one's own use.' Although this technique was cleverly concealed, its fundamental nature could not be hidden from me."
He paused slightly before continuing, "I bring this up not to criticize, nor to publicize it. It's just that I'm thinking that your esteemed Hua family holds a special position, making you a target. If there truly is an undercurrent that has long infiltrated the Eastern Wasteland and is omnipresent, choosing to focus its attention on Taixuan and selecting the most outstanding successor of the Star Peak Hua family as the vessel for its 'Demon Seed,' upon careful consideration, it's not impossible. This is not Hua Yunfei's fault; perhaps certain arrangements were quietly made from the day he was born."
As Hua Mingxuan listened to Li Qingshan's detailed and analytical telepathic message, cold sweat gradually seeped down his back.
The strange sensations he had vaguely sensed inside the gate, the chilling characteristics of the Ruthless One Lineage, and the bloodshed they had caused in the past—all these clues and fragments began to be frantically pieced together and confirmed in his mind under Li Qingshan's clear guidance.
The Ruthless One Lineage Devouring Demonic Art. If this is true, and even the slightest leak is made, not only will Hua Yunfei instantly fall from grace and become a " Demonic Embryo " condemned by all, but the Taixuan Sect's century-old reputation will also be ruined. It might even invite a joint attack from various holy lands and aristocratic families, following in the footsteps of the Assassin Divine Dynasty a few months ago! That would be a true catastrophe!
He could no longer maintain his composure. Using the gesture of raising a cup to drink tea, he barely managed to suppress the turmoil in his heart. His thoughts were filled with obvious trembling and urgency. " Eastern Exalt, this matter is of utmost importance! Do you have more evidence? Or, since you have seen through it, you should speak frankly. Surely you already have a plan?"
He had no time to investigate how Li Qingshan saw through him or what his purpose was in revealing his secret; panic and worry for his grandson and the sect had taken over his mind.
Li Qingshan's divine sense transmitted, carrying a reassuring power. "The basis lies in the Dao itself. If Sect Leader Hua has any doubts, you can carefully observe it in the future, or secretly investigate within the sect and you will find something. I'm revealing this to you today for three reasons: first, the convergence of Cause and Effect means I can't bear to hide it from you now that I've seen it; second, Hua Yunfei is indeed a person of great talent and ability, but it's a great pity that he's been ruined by the shackles of conspiracy; and third, this lineage's inheritance lurks in the shadows, like a malignant tumor, which is not a good thing for the Eastern Wasteland or even the Big Dipper."
"As for the details," Li Qingshan's divine sense paused slightly, "The key lies in the choices that Sect Leader Hua and Hua Yunfei themselves make. If they wish to break free of their shackles and see the light of day, I might be able to take action and eliminate the 'protector' lurking in the shadows who is manipulating this matter."
Hua Mingxuan was deeply shaken.
He originally intended to use this grand event to let his grandson show his face in front of Hua Qingshan, to make a good relationship and pave the way for the future, but he never expected that it would involve such a shocking secret!
At this moment, he had no interest whatsoever in paying attention to the Feng Cai of those young prodigies below.
My heart was filled with lingering fear, relief, and a rapid weighing of my options.
What's frightening is that the hidden danger was lurking so deeply around us;
Fortunately, Li Qingshan, a Dao-Slaying King, was present today. He saw through the mystery at a glance and was willing to intervene.
Just as Hua Mingxuan was deeply moved and unable to calm down, the tranquility in the arena below, which had been stirred by Hua Yunfei's zither music, was completely replaced by the vibrant energy of the young cultivators.
Hua Yunfei himself was exchanging pleasantries with the Ji Family's Divine King Body came forward to greet him.
"Wonderful!" Ji Haoyue's clear voice rang out in praise. His purple robes fluttered, bathed in the soft glow of the moon, exuding an otherworldly aura. "The sound ends, but the melody lingers, its meaning residing within the mountains and rivers. Brother Hua's piece has attained the essence of nature, approaching the Dao. In just two years, Brother Hua's cultivation has progressed so remarkably, truly admirable."
Hua Yunfei had already stood up, a humble smile on his face, and returned the greeting with clasped hands. "Brother Haoyue, you flatter me. This is but a trivial skill, merely for amusement, and I dare not accept the praise of being 'close to the Dao.' It cannot compare to Brother Haoyue's ever-improving Divine Body, his illustrious achievements throughout the Eastern Wasteland."
However, before Hua Yunfei and Ji Haoyue could talk much, and before he could notice the complex and unspeakable look in his grandfather's eyes on the high platform, a commotion, not too big or too small, but enough to attract the attention of the nearby crowd, came from the entrance to the mountain path at the edge of the square.
This commotion, like a fresh stone thrown into a lake, temporarily broke the heavy and intense thoughts in Hua Mingxuan's mind and drew everyone's attention to a new focus.
"Make way, make way! A good dog doesn't block the way. Oops, who stepped on my tail!"
A slightly arrogant voice rang out, accompanied by a few deliberate barks.
A slightly chaotic passage opened up in the crowd, and a young man dressed plainly with a resolute face and eyes like morning stars swaggered in with a Big Black Dog, as big as a calf, with glossy black fur, head held high, but its tail looked like it had been accidentally stepped on by the crowd and was baring its teeth.
In an instant, countless eyes focused on it.
Surprise, astonishment, realization, amusement, and unease flashed across the eyes of these young prodigies.
"It's the Sacred Body Ye Fan!"
"And that damned black dog! They really were hiding in the Taixuan Sect!"
"They dared to show themselves openly in Licheng!"
The hushed discussions spread quickly, and many people's expressions became quite interesting.
Especially the Yaoguang Holy Land, click to start the wonderful journey of " Shrouding the Heavens: Yuanshi of the Myriad Heavens ". The young disciples of the Ji Family and other forces that had grudges against Ye Fan or suffered great losses in Licheng had their eyes almost spitting fire, and their hands subconsciously pressed towards their weapons or secretly channeled their magic power.
Just as some hot-tempered young cultivators were about to lose their temper and step forward to question or even attack, their gazes involuntarily, with fear and awe, quickly drifted toward the one sitting calmly alone on the high platform.
Li Qingshan seemed completely oblivious to the commotion below, calmly sipping his tea with a distant gaze.
Like an invisible mountain, it weighed heavily on the hearts of all those who were eager to act.
Ye Fan and that Big Black Dog have a close relationship with this Eastern Exalt.
At this moment, in this place, to attack Ye Fan would be tantamount to openly provoking Li Qingshan!
Having figured this out, the young cultivators who were about to rush out suddenly froze in their tracks, their faces turning red and white in turns. Their anger and resentment could only be suppressed into muffled groans and even more hostile glares.
Without explicit instructions from elders, who would dare to be the first to take the lead?
Ye Fan seemed oblivious to the piercing gazes around him, his expression calm as he led Black Emperor straight towards a more open area in the plaza.
The Black Emperor became even more arrogant, strutting like a dragon and strutting like a tiger, its dog-like eyes looking down on everything around it. In particular, it bared its sharp white teeth at several Yao Yaoguang disciples who were glaring at it, scaring them into instinctively taking a half step back. Only then did it proudly raise its head, as if it were surveying its own territory.
On the high platform, Hua Mingxuan and other high-ranking members of the Taixuan Sect naturally saw Ye Fan and the Black Emperor.
Hua Mingxuan's brow twitched almost imperceptibly, then he regained his composure, as if he had expected this, and remained silent.
The other Tai Shang exchanged glances and also chose to remain silent.
Li Qingshan was seated there; the Taixuan Sect would naturally not interfere with the person he was protecting at this moment.
When Ji Haoyue saw Ye Fan, a complex look flashed in her eyes, but she showed no hostility. Instead, she nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Within the Jiang Family's camp, Jiang Yifei and others who knew Ye Fan also cast benevolent glances their way.
Ye Fan's appearance was like a boulder thrown into an already turbulent lake, creating even bigger ripples. However, thanks to the protection of a certain " Mount Buzhou," these ripples did not develop into a raging storm for the time being.
However, the smell of gunpowder in the air was noticeably several times stronger.
The arrival of Ye Fan and the Black Emperor acted as a fuse, igniting the suppressed hostility and resentment of many people.
The mockery of the concept of the Sacred Body is indeed true.
After the initial apprehension, a subtle feeling began to develop.
Li Qingshan was Dao-Slaying King, unapproachable, and they naturally held him in awe.
However, Ye Fan, the Sacred Body, was known to all to have a cultivation level that was limited to the Dao Palace Secret Realm.
The legendary " Four Extremes " realm, which supposedly allowed the Sacred Body to truly manifest its divine power and become unparalleled in physical form, was still a vague and unknown insurmountable barrier for him.
Ancient history is fragmented and has long provided evidence that even those Desolate Ancient Family and supreme holy lands with profound foundations in the past, who devoted all their resources to cultivating Sacred Body, ultimately mostly failed before reaching the threshold of the Four Extremes, leaving only sighs.
This is why the " Desolate Ancient Sacred Body," which once shook the eternal starry sky, gradually became the " Desolate Ancient Waste Body," a curse that is difficult to break in the eyes of the world, as the long years passed.
If that's the case, what is there to fear in competition among contemporaries?
Is it only because of the Eastern Exalt that we have lost the courage to step forward and engage in fair debate and skillful exchange?
Moreover, this is a grand gathering of prodigies hosted by the Taixuan Sect. It is only natural for the younger generation to make friends through martial arts and test their skills!
Such thoughts swirled in the minds of many proud young cultivators. The resentment and provocation that had been suppressed because of Li Qingshan's presence were like smoldering subterranean fire, eager to erupt.
Soon, this restless emotion found an outlet.
Even though Ye Fan hasn't left the field yet, the passionate young talents in the arena can't suppress their desire to spar.
" Xu Ming of the Black Water Sect, please invite the fellow Daoists from Crimson Flame Valley to come out and speak!" A young man dressed in a dark black robe, with a cold face and a dark mist swirling around him stepped forward from the crowd. His voice was icy cold, and his gaze was fixed on the group of cultivators dressed in crimson robes opposite him.
The two sects live next to each other and had a fierce conflict many years ago over a medium-sized mine. The grudges between their disciples are deep-seated.
"Hmph! Afraid of you? Lie Yang of Crimson Flame Valley is eager to experience the power of your sect's ' Xuanming True Water '!" From the crowd opposite, a sharp-looking young man with fiery red hair and eyebrows that seemed to be dyed with flames stood up and roared, his scorching aura spreading out.
The two enemies met and, without any politeness, instantly transformed into two streaks of light that shot into the sky.
In mid-air, the scene instantly transformed.
On one side, the black water surged to the sky, chilling to the bone, and transformed into the shapes of giant pythons and black turtles, pouncing with immense force;
On the other side, raging flames filled the sky, intensely hot and violent, condensing into the forms of fire crows and fiery dragons, baring their fangs and claws as they charged forward.
Water and fire, yin and yang, two completely opposite and mutually destructive magical forces clashed fiercely, producing hissing and muffled booms, and the ripples of energy below made the spectators below feel a stinging sensation on their skin.
This was no ordinary sparring match; every move was ruthless, aimed at the opponent's vital points, drawing gasps and discussions from the sidelines.
This clash acted as a fuse, immediately igniting the competitive spirit and past grudges of many young talents.
" Liu Feng of the Azure Cloud Sect is here. Chen Feng of Setting Sun Valley, do you dare to settle old scores with me?"
"What do I have to fear! I'm about to sever your Azure Cloud Sword's edge once more!"
The rainbow light reappeared, figures crisscrossed, and shouts and the roar of Daoist magic filled the air.
The fighting area for the younger generation instantly became incredibly lively, with divine light radiating and waves of energy surging, attracting a large number of eyes.
However, on the edge of this increasingly heated battlefield, the top disciples from Great Saint and ancient families, while maintaining their composure and watching the battle calmly, would always intentionally or unintentionally glance at the calm figure standing alone in the shadows in the direction of Clumsy Peak, accompanied only by a Big Black Dog.
The silent provocation, like the gradually spreading smoke of battle, has already passed.
Finally, after yet another battle, a voice rang out clearly, carrying undisguised arrogance and a targeted tone:
"I have long heard of the unparalleled physical prowess of the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, making it difficult to find an opponent of its own level, and it has achieved remarkable feats in the Northern Region. I am Zhao Hao from the Wanchu Holy Land, and although my cultivation is only at the Dao Palace Secret Realm, I am eager to witness this grand event. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Ye would be willing to join us for a discussion and exchange of ideas, so that we may also witness the power of the Sacred Body?"
All eyes immediately turned to that direction.
The speaker was a young man dressed in the attire of the Wanchu Holy Land. He had a handsome face, sharp eyes like an eagle, and a solid and powerful aura. He had already reached the peak of the Five Great Divine Treasures of the Dao Palace Secret Realm, making him an absolute master among the younger generation.