True Lord Xiaoyun arrived via the rainbow bridge.
This Rogue Cultivator Nascent Soul, a Nascent Soul cultivator, was a jade spirit. Even though she had transformed into the appearance of a gentle and quiet woman, her oval face still had mottled gold marks resembling the patterns on stone.
Unlike Xuanchengzi's cunning and ruthlessness, and unlike True Lord Tingqiao's treacherous and sinister nature, this man stepped into the Jade Soul Palace, bowing respectfully before doing so, displaying a dignified and restrained demeanor.
"Xiaoyun of Chongluo Sect, entrusted by my sect leader, has come to offer congratulations to Sword Immortal Guanglin."
Chen Shuangbai smiled and said, "I remember... the invitation was personally delivered to Senior Xuanchengzi, so why is it you, fellow Daoist, who has come today?"
Upon hearing this, all the cultivators turned their heads in surprise.
Good heavens... So it turns out they didn't come uninvited, but rather the Far-Reaching Luminous Sword Immortal personally went to invite them?
Facing this young sword immortal whose combat prowess far surpassed that of his peers, True Lord Xiaoyun showed no impoliteness, simply saying, "I hope you will forgive me, fellow Daoist, as the Sect Master is preoccupied with worldly affairs and thus unable to attend... so he sent Xiaoyun to personally offer his congratulations."
So that's how it is.
Chen Shuangbai didn't really make things difficult for this Grand Elder of the Renewed Net Sect. After asking a couple of questions, a disciple came to welcome him to a seat.
After all the guests have arrived.
Various kinds of wines, spirit fruits and spirit fruits were presented in a flowing manner, filling the jade tables prepared by the Nascent Soul True Lord.
For a time, the hall was filled with distinguished guests and shone brightly.
The Nascent Soul conversed amongst themselves, but most of their attention remained focused on the Far-Reaching Luminous Sword Immortal, who sat in the main seat, and the three young Golden Core cultivators sitting on the jade table below the hall.
"These are the disciples under the tutelage of Sword Far-Reaching Luminous Sword Immortal, right?"
"Look at them all, so handsome and elegant, and all so incredibly young... Truly, new talents emerge in every generation, and each new generation surpasses the old."
"That's for sure... I used my divine eye to examine the three of them, and their foundations are all very solid, especially the two in the lead."
The cultivators' gazes fell on Chen Yazhen and Chen Fuguang, and whispers among themselves filled the air.
Chen Fuguang sat upright behind the jade table, his golden robes and white armor gleaming under the palace's Treasure Light light. His golden eyes sparkled, and from time to time, fellow disciples would come to discuss with him the arrangements inside and outside the palace.
"I've heard about this from my disciples. They said that not long ago, Lotus Temple tried to force him to visit their Lotus Temple while he was still Foundation Establishment cultivator, hoping to use him to blackmail Far-Reaching Luminous Sword Immortal. However, he broke through to the Golden Core realm on the spot and killed a Buddhist cultivator in the Early Golden Core Stage stage and a Devil Cultivator in the Middle Golden Core Stage stage!"
"Hiss... Is it really that fierce?"
"No way! He just broke through to the Early Golden Core Stage, Divine Ability aren't even stable yet, and he can already suppress and kill two Golden Core? And there's also a Middle Golden Core Stage... This can't be real, right?"
"How could this be fake?"
"Don't you even know who this person's master is... he's probably at least a first-grade Dan cultivator!"
Chen Yazhen sat opposite, wearing a flowing fairy dress with water sleeves. Her silver eyes were deep and mysterious, like a snowflake falling into them. Her face was aloof, but she wore a gentle smile. She was also very friendly and would occasionally get up to serve food and wine to the teachers and elders at the head of the table.
At such a young age, he's already Golden Core True Person, and judging by his demeanor, he's likely to emulate his master and make a name for himself.
Only a few families who had suffered losses at their hands, upon hearing the discussions among the cultivators, wished they could bury their heads in their robes.
Chen Shuangbai sat on top.
Even the True Lord Jihai gave up the main seat and sat only on the side.
Seeing that the time was almost right, Chen Shuangbai spoke up loudly:
"Today..."
He was about to speak and announce the start of the ceremony.
But at that very moment, a void rift opened in the sky, from which endless five-colored light surged forth, and a Daoist priest in green robes stepped out.
All the cultivators looked over and saw that the newcomer had a handsome appearance, with a pair of peach blossom eyes that accentuated his dashing and charming demeanor. He was none other than True Lord Qingchen.
True Lord Qingchen descended in a beam of light and arrived in front of the hall. He slightly shook his azure robe, shaking off the purplish-black demonic light that clung to it. In his right palm, he held a ghostly arm that was trembling incessantly, as if it were about to fly away at any moment.
However, Qingchen's Divine Ability suppressed it, and it couldn't move at all.
"Yo!"
Qingchen strolled in, looked at the guests in all directions, and said with a smile, "It's quite lively, with many fellow Daoists who are rarely seen on ordinary days... It's perfect that you've all come today!"
Although his current cultivation level is only at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, the strength he can unleash is indeed comparable to that of the Nascent Soul Late Stage... Therefore, none of the Nascent Soul dared to be disrespectful to him, and they all stood up and bowed to him in greeting.
"Greetings, True Lord Qingchen..."
For a moment, the hall was filled with various greetings.
Qingchen accepted them all. Once inside the hall, he casually tossed the twisted, ghost-like arm he had been holding in his right palm into the air. With a flick of his finger, a five-colored light froze it in place. Only then did he look at Chen Shuangbai and Jihai, saying, "After receiving your message, Junior Brother Jihai, I rushed here as fast as I could, but thankfully I wasn't late."
True Lord Jihai laughed and said, "I knew that Senior Brother Sect Master would definitely return... but what is this?"
All the cultivators turned their gaze to that arm, from which they could sense a unique aura belonging to the Nascent Soul Late Stage realm.
Some people had guesses, but dared not speak out.
True Lord Qingchen merely sneered and said, "That Hentian is now a frightened bird. I escaped into the void and followed the aura he left behind to hunt him down for several years, but he still managed to get away... However, it wasn't a complete loss. Cutting off his right arm can be considered as collecting some interest."
Upon hearing this, all the cultivators were astonished.
The fact that True Lord Qingchen has been hunting down Heaven-Hating Devil Lord in the void for the past few years is hardly a secret.
However, all the Nascent Soul felt that the two would most likely not actually fight.
After all, although Hentian was injured, he was cunning, had a deep foundation, and had inherited a lot of the Shadow Devil Dao's legacy, making him extremely difficult to kill.
And now...
True Lord Qingchen was actually able to cut off his right arm?
Doesn't that mean...?
The cultivators' gazes toward True Lord Qingchen suddenly became playful.
Could this Jade Spring Sect's strength... possibly place him in the top tier among Nascent Soul Late Stage?
Facing the wary, covetous, or envious gazes of the other cultivators, Qingchen showed no discomfort whatsoever. He simply smiled and turned away, withdrawing the arm, and said with a smile, "Today is both a celebration of the several Golden Core cultivators who have achieved enlightenment in our sect over the years, and a congratulatory ceremony for Xuhong, who has achieved Nascent Soul but has been unable to hold a proper Nascent Soul..."
"It's not like I found absolutely no treasures during my time in the void..."
As he spoke, the Jade Spring Sect flicked his finger, and a wisp of azure light fell into the hall.
The azure light shifted and transformed in an instant into a gigantic, strange rock several meters tall, with a pitted and uneven surface covered with numerous crystals that shimmered with iridescent colors.