Just then, Xiang Yun suddenly met a pair of eyes. Those bright eyes were full of anger, defiance, and a little disdain.
That's quite a mix of feelings!
"Ying Huanhuan..."
Xiang Yun was speechless.
Why is this girl so mad at me? It's been half a year, and she's still holding a grudge?
The one I tore into back then should have been Qing Ye, not her, right?
"Hasn't the Palace Master of Taiqing Palace arrived yet?"
Hong Wuji looked around, but he didn't see that familiar figure, so he asked.
Ying Xuanzi smiled. "The Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace has a long way to travel, but they should be here soon."
Just then.
A great many white lights appeared beneath the barrier as well. A moment later, numerous figures appeared, almost every one of them graceful and dressed in a plain, long skirt. They made a striking contrast with the Primordial Hall, which was full of masculine vigor.
That made for a rather interesting scene.
The Primordial Hall, brimming with masculine vigor, was on the left; the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace, full of feminine softness, was on the right; and the Dao Sect, balanced between men and women, was in the middle.
Xiang Yun's gaze, however, fell on the graceful figure beside the Palace Master of Taiqing Palace. Her cultivation was unmistakably at Three Yuan Nirvana as well.
She hasn't neglected her cultivation.
The veiled Ling Qingzhu, however, blushed.
Can't this guy be less blatant with his staring? Master is watching right beside me.
Ying Xuanzi took in the scene, and a thoughtful look flashed through his eyes. It seemed there was some karma between the Primordial Hall-or rather, Xiang Yun-and that girl from the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.
That was why it had ended up being an exchange between three sects.
But what could have made the Palace Master of Taiqing Palace willing to meet with the Primordial Hall, even at the risk of Yuan Sect's speculation?
"Greetings, fellow Daoists."
The Palace Master of Taiqing Palace first nodded slightly to Ying Xuanzi and Hong Wuji.
Then her gaze fell on Xiang Yun, but just like Ying Xuanzi, all she could sense was the dragon-like, demonic blood and Qi hidden within his body.
She couldn't truly see through him.
She couldn't understand how the Supreme Induction Art, which so many seniors of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace had been unable to study thoroughly,
could have been mastered by a barbarian from the Primordial Hall-and how he could even be improving it.
She had wanted to see for herself what was so extraordinary about Xiang Yun, but she hadn't expected that the first glance would already pique her interest.
Even I can't see through him?
Young people these days!
But no matter how mysterious he is, won't he still have to call me Mother-in-law?
"The Hall Masters will arrange the disciples' lodging and daily cultivation during their stay. Hall Master Hong, Palace Master Yi, Hall Masters, and Peak Masters, would you please come with me to Dao Xuan Peak to discuss the exchange?"
"All right."
Hong Wuji and Yi Taiqing naturally had no objections. This was the usual procedure for past exchanges; the only difference was that this time there were three sects instead of two.
"Qingzhu, follow the Dao Sect's arrangements and don't cause trouble," Yi Taiqing said softly.
"Yes!"
Ling Qingzhu nodded.
Yi Taiqing also instructed the disciples at Eight Yuan Nirvana to assist Ling Qingzhu. After all, with so many people, there were bound to be conflicting opinions, even if relations between the Dao Sect and the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace were fairly good.
An exchange was fraught with tension by its very nature, even if it couldn't compare to the sect competition.
Sparring matches had flared into real fights before.
The sects' higher-ups headed to Dao Xuan Peak, leaving only a few people to maintain order. This was a test in itself.
In the future, the super sects would still have to be entrusted to people like Ying Xiaoxiao, so this was also part of their training.
"Fairy Ling."
"Young Hall Master Xiang."
Ying Xiaoxiao landed in front of the two and said, "The current arrangement is for the disciples of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace to stay in the Earth Hall and Flood Hall, while those of the Primordial Hall will stay in the Heaven Hall and Desolate Hall. How does that sound?"
"Whatever. Anywhere is fine as long as we have somewhere to stay."
Xiang Yun waved a hand, but the disciples behind Ling Qingzhu had some objections. They all knew the situation with the Dao Sect's four halls.
Of the Heaven, Earth, Flood, and Desolate Halls, the Heaven Hall was the strongest and the Desolate Hall the weakest. The main issue was the Heaven Hall: on previous visits, the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace had always stayed in the Heaven and Earth Halls.
"Didn't we always stay in the Heaven and Earth Halls when we came before? Why have we been assigned to the Earth and Flood Halls this time?"
"I don't know. Could the Primordial Hall have surpassed us over the years? It doesn't seem like it!"
"Hey, I stayed in the Heaven Hall before, and it was pretty comfortable. Those barba... disciples of the Primordial Hall, why would they care about that sort of thing?"
Quiet discussion broke out among the people of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.
The Primordial Hall, on the other hand, remained silent.
Even though the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace's disciples had voiced stereotypes in their discussion, the Primordial Hall's disciples merely stood quietly where they were.
"Quiet."
Seeing the solemn-faced disciples of the Primordial Hall and the chattering disciples behind her, Ling Qingzhu felt embarrassed and spoke coldly.
Although the voices grew somewhat quieter at Ling Qingzhu's words, some people continued discussing the matter.
"Do our fellow Daoists from the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace have an objection?"
Ying Xiaoxiao asked.
The main reason for the arrangement was that Qing Ye had been frightened by Xiang Yun before, and Deputy Hall Master Qing had even been sent flying by a single punch from him.
If the Primordial Hall's people stayed in the Earth Hall, things might be a little awkward.
As it happened, there were Heaven and Desolate, Earth and Flood.
That way, neither side would be favored at the expense of the other.
"I'll go calm them down."
Hearing Ying Xiaoxiao's question, Ling Qingzhu could no longer maintain her aloof demeanor.
Although she was the Young Palace Master, she had only just broken through to Nirvana, and she had yet to establish her prestige within Taiqing Palace.
But the Dao Sect had already made the arrangements, and they were fair enough.
Ling Qingzhu was just about to turn around.
Then she heard Xiang Yun stretch and say, "What a waste of time."
"If they like the Heaven and Earth Halls, let them go there. As it happens, we from the Primordial Hall can take the Flood and Desolate Halls."
After a moment's thought, he turned to the Primordial Hall's disciples and asked, "Any objections?"
"No! We obey the Young Hall Master's orders!"
Their voices shook the air like thunder.
Both the Dao Sect's disciples and Taiqing Palace's disciples were awed by the Primordial Hall's perfectly unified response.
The Dao Sect's disciples looked at one another. How come they remembered the Primordial Hall being different before?
Ying Xiaoxiao and Ling Qingzhu suddenly exchanged a glance, a trace of surprise flashing through their eyes.
He hadn't expected Xiang Yun to command such prestige in the Primordial Hall that even the disciples at Eight Yuan Nirvana would listen to him.
Although they were likewise the Young Palace Master and the senior sister, their prestige within their sects couldn't compare to Xiang Yun's.
"Make the arrangements, Miss Ying."
Xiang Yun spoke in a calm voice.
He had little interest in where he stayed. His only interest in this exchange was whether Old Man Ying would agree to his request.
If he didn't, Xiang Yun wouldn't have much interest in it.
It would be nothing more than a test of the Battle Body Divine Ability's results. With the start he had given them, Battle Arts Peak, which had spent a long time researching the Battle Body Divine Ability, seemed to have struck a mountain of gold.
The development of the Battle Body Divine Ability had burst forth like a gushing well.
In just two or three months, they had already developed several systems.
The disciples of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace and the Dao Sect would be just right for testing the waters.
This time, the Dao Sect and the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace would be made to change their stereotypes about the Primordial Hall.
According to the plan, even if the three sects joined forces, there would still be a leading side and subordinate sides. He had no intention of being a underling.