Water, Ice, Mist

Glazed golden tiles reflected the morning sun, while palace walls rose from spiritual soil stretching a hundred miles.

The palace halls stood in neat order, their towers grand and lofty. Spiritual light shrouded the Imperial City, making it glitter in gold and jade, displaying the full majesty of the imperial house.

Today, Great Zhou had gathered for a grand occasion, receiving guests from all directions at Yuxiao Hall.

None of those invited were anything but major powers of Tianlan Prefecture. Even Foundation Establishment clans could not enter the palace gates, let alone qualify to attend this grand gathering.

All the visitors were heavyweight guests. Led by several palace maids, they arrived at their seats in Yuxiao Hall.

Several people had already taken their seats in the hall, all of them young people in the full bloom of youth.

The Dragon Blood Pool had many wondrous uses: it tempered the physical body, condensed spiritual power, and forged a powerful foundation. It was of enormous benefit to young cultivators.

Shen Yun and Lin Qianluo arrived together, drawing no small amount of attention.

Su Yu'er was the first to notice him. Her pretty little face darkened, and she secretly ground her teeth. I never thought you would come too. Hmph, hmph, Heaven has truly handed me a golden opportunity. This time, I'll knock two huge bumps onto your head as well.

During this time, she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to cultivation and broken through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining. At last, she had waited for her chance at revenge.

Shangguan Mo wore an arrogant expression, his pride soaring to the clouds. He seemed unchanged.

Shen Wude had pulled a few tricks and directly made him lose his memory, even giving him amnesia. Sometimes, he would forget what he had said the very next moment.

Fortunately, it had not affected the plan. After returning to his clan, he had merely received a warning.

Thus, he was Ready to Go once more, determined to make a grand display of his ambitions at the gathering.

Zhou Xingyu stood at his side, his gaze fixed on Ye Chen in the distance as he said coldly, "Find a way to cripple him for me."

Shangguan Mo looked down upon everything before him and said lightly, "Rest assured, Your Highness. Today, this kid will only leave lying sideways."

Zhou Xingyu nodded, then looked toward the outside of the hall with a grave expression. "My eldest brother and Tantai Jing have arrived."

No sooner had he spoken than a tall young man strode toward them, swift as the wind and moving like thunder. His powerful aura made everyone turn their heads.

The First Prince walked beside him. His bright yellow four-clawed dragon robe billowed in the wind, and his handsome face bore a faint smile. His open brows and warm eyes gave him an inexplicable air of approachability.

The moment he appeared, the imperial guards and palace maids all dropped to both knees. "Welcome, His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Under the gaze of the crowd, the First Prince took the seat of honor without hesitation. Then, in a gentle tone, he said, "Please wait a moment. The others will be here shortly."

Shen Yun gazed at his figure and thought, I heard the First Prince has the greatest talent among all the princes. Seeing him today, the rumors were indeed true. He should already be in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Afterward, he began observing Tantai Jing. The other man's physical body was extraordinarily powerful, carrying the faint force of wind and thunder. It was precisely the Tantai Family's never-passed-down secret—the Indestructible Wind and Thunder Body.

Tianlan Prefecture was vast, with no fewer than several thousand Cultivation Families. There were as many as fifty or sixty Golden Core-level powers, and among them, the Tantai Family was publicly acknowledged as one of the strongest Golden Core Clans, its prestige resounding far and wide.

Half a cup of tea later, Zhou Ziyou finally appeared.

Numerous gazes turned toward the graceful woman behind him, their eyes filled with varying degrees of admiration, affection, and awe...

The First Prince raised a brow and called out brightly, "Fairy Murong has arrived. Please, take a seat."

Murong Xue nodded in acknowledgment. Her exquisite, delicate face was expressionless, carrying an aloofness that seemed detached from the mortal world.

Despite such a dismissive attitude, the First Prince was not offended in the slightest. Her status was worthy of his solemn regard.

Zhou Ziyou ran over and sat beside Shen Yun, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Lin Qianluo lifted her eyelids, her words carrying a hidden meaning. "You should be quite happy to be entertaining such a peerless beauty, shouldn't you?"

Zhou Ziyou's expression changed, and he hurriedly explained, "Absolutely not. You don't know what she's like—she's cold as ice all day long, and I have no idea what she's thinking. She's nearly worried me to death."

Shen Yun smiled and changed the subject. "I heard she is a disciple of the Lone Swan Sword Sect. Brother Zhou, could you tell us more about her?"

Zhou Ziyou sighed in relief and slowly began, "This Murong Xue is no ordinary person. Although she only possesses a Three-Attribute Spirit Root, it is a legendary mutated spirit root."

At the mention of a mutated spirit root, Shen Yun's heart stirred, and his interest grew.

"I heard her spirit root attributes are water, ice, and mist—three attributes passed down in one unbroken line. They are exceptionally extraordinary."

Zhou Ziyou sighed. "Among the Sword Sect's three thousand Outer Sect disciples, she ranks second. Becoming an Inner Disciple is only a matter of time."

After hearing his introduction, Shen Yun gained a general understanding of Murong Xue.

Water, ice, and mist are the three states of water. In a sense, her aptitude rivals a Heavenly Spirit Root. Although her cultivation speed is slightly inferior, it possesses far more transformations.

Such a genius was still merely an Outer Sect disciple. The strength of the Lone Swan Sword Sect was plain for all to see.

Afterward, everyone moved to the Yuxiao Platform.

The broad platform was forged from Tianshan Hard Jade, expansive without losing its grandeur. Thirty-six Coiled Dragon Jade Pillars surrounded it, forming a powerful defensive formation.

The grand gathering was presided over by the First Prince. Once the guests had arrived, he began his speech.

"...Each person will have two chances to challenge. If no one challenges a defender after the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, that person will directly obtain a spot."

"The purpose of this gathering is to exchange insights into the immortal path. All of you present are outstanding young talents, so please stop when appropriate."

After introducing the rules, the First Prince slowly asked, "Which fellow cultivator is willing to take the stage first?"

No sooner had he spoken than Tantai Jing stepped forward. As though using Shrink Ground to Inch, he reached the Yuxiao Platform in the blink of an eye.