The next instant, crack! The flat void was torn apart, and a straight, narrow spatial rift suddenly appeared. All the elders in the hall changed their expressions drastically and stood up in horror.
Without any warning array, without any disturbance, without any prior indication, this rift appeared out of thin air within the heavily guarded Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall.
The rift slowly expanded to both sides, extending from a foot to several feet. Deep within the rift, there was no void turbulence, only a dense and stagnant dark light domain. Layer upon layer of ancient Dao patterns spread and interlocked along the edge of the rift, steadily forming an independent barrier.
Buzz!!!
A wisp of ancient and vast Void Origin slowly spread out, covering the entire hall. The pupils of all the elders shrank suddenly, and their expressions changed drastically. Hua Yin was shocked and instantly recognized the origin. All the gloom on his face disappeared, his back straightened abruptly, and his expression became respectful and solemn.
From the depths of the dark barrier, a figure slowly stepped out.
The dark light domain behind him receded layer by layer, and the vast foundation of the Void Emanation Realm did not arbitrarily unleash itself. However, with only this one person appearing in the world, the ever-flowing Hua Lineage origin patterns in the entire ancestral hall all fell silent and subsided on their own.
The newcomer, with flowing robes, an elegant figure, and a calm and composed expression, was none other than Nangong Xingyun, the chief judge of the grand gathering of the Lineage. Hua Nongrui's eyes changed drastically, and she dared not be negligent in the slightest. As a Wuji Realm expert and the head of the Hua Family Lineage, she quickly stepped down from the high platform.
Hua Yin was the first to leave his seat, followed closely by the other elders. In an instant, all the core members and high-ranking members of the Hua Lineage stood in the center of the hall. Hua Nongrui straightened her clothes, composed herself, knelt down, and bowed respectfully.
Behind her, more than ten elders knelt in unison, filling the hall with solemnity and silence. Hua Nongrui's voice, respectful and solemn, resounded throughout the hall. "Hua Nongrui of the Hua Lineage, along with all the elders of the clan, respectfully welcomes Nangong Xingyun."
More than ten respectful voices responded in unison, echoing throughout the Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall: "Welcome, Nangong Xingyun!"
Nangong Xingyun stood motionless before the still-open spatial barrier, his gaze slowly sweeping over the kneeling Hua Lineage members. His expression was indifferent and unreadable, and the entire Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall fell into utter silence.
Nangong Xingyun stood in the center of the Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall, the spatial barrier behind him still open, the dark light domain slowly flowing along the edge of the crack. He had not made any extra movements since he appeared, and even the kneeling of the Hua Lineage members did not cause much change in his expression.
A moment later, he lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Hua Nongrui and the dozen or so elders. A layer of indifferent frost covered his brows and eyes, and the intimidating aura brought by the Void Emanation Realm silently pressed down with this gaze. The subtle fluctuations of origin that had been left in the hall immediately subsided.
Hua Yin and the others knelt with their heads bowed behind them, feeling a heavy weight rising deep within their Fate Soul. No one dared to raise their heads at this moment. Nangong Xingyun finally fixed his gaze on Hua Nongrui, his thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was not loud. "Where is Hua Jingmeng?"
Hua Nongrui's eyes widened suddenly. She had already guessed in her heart the various reasons why Nangong Xingyun suddenly descended upon the Hua Lineage, and even thought that this matter might be related to the grand gathering of the Lineage. However, when the three words "Hua Jingmeng" were actually spoken by the other party, a trace of bewilderment and unease still quietly rose in her heart.
In this competition, although Hua Jingmeng displayed strength far exceeding what the Hua Lineage had previously recognized, she ultimately lost to Qin Yu. Her cultivation level even dropped from the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage back to the True Annihilation Realm · Initial Stage, and the injury to her Fate Soul's origin has yet to heal.
Given the level of the Nangong Lineage, there are countless geniuses in the Supreme Transformation Primordial Domain who could catch their eye. Hua Nongrui couldn't quite grasp what Nangong Xingyun's trip meant.
She forced a calm expression, bowing even lower as she respectfully replied, "Reporting to your Excellency, Hua Jingmeng is currently recuperating and healing within our clan. Although he has taken the Void Great Grotto Pill, his Fate Soul essence has been severely depleted and he has not yet recovered."
Nangong Xingyun did not inquire about the injuries after hearing this. His face remained Silent Void and expressionless, his eyes were deep and stern, and his voice carried an unyielding authority. "Bring him here." Hua Nongrui was slightly taken aback.
Nangong Xingyun then said, "I'm taking him away." Upon hearing this, the hearts of the dozen or so Hua Lineage within the Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall trembled.
Several elders even subconsciously raised their heads, but when they met Nangong Xingyun's cold eyes, they immediately lowered their gazes. Hua Yin knelt in front of everyone, and his originally lowered eyebrows tightened almost imperceptibly at this moment.
For a moment, he even doubted whether he had heard correctly. Take Hua Jingmeng away? If it was just to reward him with pills, Nangong Xingyun would have no reason to come to the Hua Lineage in person; if he only valued the potential Hua Jingmeng had shown in the martial arts competition, he would not have needed to say "I want to take him away".
Nangong Xingyun took in every subtle change in everyone's expression. His gaze slowly swept across both sides of the hall, finally settling on Hua Nongrui, his expression still showing little softening. "What?" "Reluctant to part with her?"
"No! No! No!" Hua Nongrui immediately lowered her head. Nangong Xingyun stood with his hands behind his back, the edges of his sleeves undulating slightly with the subtle fluctuations emanating from the spatial barrier. His tone remained calm. "Such a good seedling, keeping it here is simply a waste."
The elders of the Hua Lineage all held their breath for a moment. "You can't heal his injuries," Nangong Xingyun said bluntly.
"The Void Great Grotto Pill can heal the damage to his Fate Soul, but it cannot restore the essence he lost while using forbidden divine powers. If he continues to be nurtured like this, he might be able to maintain his True Annihilation Realm foundation, but it is unknown how many years it will take to return to the Eternal Silence Realm."
He paused for a moment. "I will take him back to the clan. My Nangong Lineage has better elixirs and medicines, as well as methods to heal his current injuries. Once his Fate Soul essence is replenished, his lost cultivation will naturally have a chance to recover."
The Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall fell completely silent. This time, even Hua Nongrui didn't immediately respond. Everyone present understood what Nangong Xingyun meant by "within the clan."
That's the Nangong Lineage the Supreme Transformation Primordial Domain!
For Nangong Xingyun, that was merely a place for the Hui people; but for the vast majority of disciples of the Hua Lineage in the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain, it was a place they might never be qualified to truly set foot in throughout their entire lives.
There has always been a clear and strict hierarchy between the three domains. Although the Hua Lineage is affiliated with the Nangong Lineage and is one of the Lineage in the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain, this affiliation does not mean that the younger generation of the Hua Lineage can freely enter the Nangong ancestral land.
Throughout the long years, countless Hua Lineage have devoted their lives to arduous cultivation, hoping to one day be truly favored by the higher-ups and gain an opportunity to transcend realms and enter the Supreme Transformation Primordial Domain for cultivation.
Now, this opportunity has fallen directly into Hua Jingmeng's lap, even after his defeat.
An elder's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and the shock in his eyes could not be concealed. Just moments ago, they had been arguing heatedly about Hua Jingmeng's injuries, with some suggesting opening the Dark Embryo Stillness Grotto and others even willing to offer the Revival Dream Lotus. However, these methods, which the Hua Lineage regarded as invaluable treasures, were clearly far from the true Limit in the face of the Nangong Lineage.
What stirred their emotions even more was Nangong Xingyun's attitude. Hua Jingmeng had lost, and lost badly at that.
His Fate Soul essence was severely damaged, his cultivation level dropped to the True Annihilation Realm · Initial Stage, and even the Vast Annihilation God-Burying Banner was destroyed in that decisive battle. According to common sense, the upper-class Lineage are extremely strict in selecting their prodigies, and a loser who has already suffered such severe damage should have a significantly reduced value.
However, Nangong Xingyun did not underestimate him. Instead, after the grand event, he personally crossed the realm to descend upon the Hua Lineage, intending to take him directly back to the Nangong Lineage for treatment. This meant that the defeat did not lower Nangong Xingyun's evaluation of Hua Jingmeng.
On the contrary, what Hua Jingmeng displayed in that battle had clearly made this Void Emanation Realm expert truly intend to cultivate her. Hua Yin lowered his head, but the fingers in his sleeves slowly tightened.
His shock was even greater than that of the other elders.
Because he had personally witnessed the final battle between Hua Jingmeng and Qin Yu, he knew even more clearly how many trump cards Hua Jingmeng had revealed that she had never shown before. The Grand Void Dao Transformation Art, the Vast Sea Dao-Burying Sword, the Vast Annihilation God-Burying Banner, and even the Life Silence Return to the Ruins she ultimately forced open at the cost of her own cultivation and Fate Soul origin... The playboy that everyone had seen in the past almost completely overturned everyone's old perception of the Hua Lineage in that battle.
Now that even Nangong Xingyun has come in person, once Hua Jingmeng receives true restoration and nurturing from the Nangong Lineage... Hua Yin's eyes darkened slightly, and he didn't continue thinking about it.
Before the main seat, Hua Nongrui remained lost in thought for a long time. "What are you still standing there for?" Nangong Xingyun said calmly, and Hua Nongrui suddenly snapped out of her daze.
Her eyes darted around, a multitude of thoughts churning within her. Her throat bobbed several times, and even her usual composure as clan leader momentarily vanished. She quickly rose to her feet. "Yes, yes... Please wait a moment, my lord! Just a moment, I will personally go and fetch him."
Before she could finish speaking, she had already turned and strode quickly out of the hall. The heavy doors of the hall swung open with a bang, Hua Nongrui's figure quickly disappeared at the end of the long corridor outside, and the hall fell silent again.