The Law Enforcement Hall's Visitor

The Pagoda God Temple has never been so crowded.

This is the second Immortal Dao Ceremony. Nan Feng stood on the highest platform of the temple, glanced down at the scene below, and almost burst out laughing.

During the first grand ceremony, the temple was mostly empty. People from all walks of life sat sparsely, with large gaps between them. This time was different.

Heaven Dou Empire, Star Luo Empire, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Clear Sky Sect.

Blazing Fire Academy, Skywater Academy, Dugu Family, Far North Immortal Alliance, Star Dou Great Forest, Lake of Life.

The temple was packed with people from all walks of life, and there weren't enough seats. Shifang temporarily brought out a bunch of wooden stumps from the Tower Spirit Space and arranged them around the base of the pillars.

The seats up there were filled with representatives from small sects and independent cultivators. They were all craning their necks to look at the stage, their eyes wide open.

The Old Huai poked its head out from the sacred wood, glanced around, and clicked its tongue.

"This spectacle is even grander than when your ancestor became a god."

Nan Feng ignored him and continued reading with her head down.

Bibi Dong stood by the side entrance of the temple, not taking a seat. She wore a blue and gold dress with fitted sleeves and a brooch made of Nine Heart Begonia petals at the collar.

Her hair was tied up with a magical vine. She leaned against the doorframe, holding a cup of spiritual tea in her hand.

Ah Yin stood beside her. The primordial aura of the Blue Silver Emperor condensed into a layer of pale blue mist around her, mingling with Bibi Dong's cyan-gold robe. The two blue lights overlapped, making it impossible to distinguish which was which.

Nan Feng's gaze lingered on them for a moment before shifting to the other side.

Ye Lingling was giving Qin Ming some instructions in the herb garden, holding a newly compiled pharmacopoeia in her hands. There was a small mud spot on her Bai Li, probably because she had just repotted the Nine Heart Begonia before leaving.

Dugu Yan and Dugu Bo sat at the Dugu Family's table. The old man was poking at the candied fruit on the table with his chopsticks when Dugu Yan grabbed his wrist.

Huo Wu couldn't sit still in her seat at the Blazing Fire Academy; she kept standing up and sitting down repeatedly. Shui Bing'er sat beside her, drinking tea and occasionally reaching out to pull her up.

"Brother Nan, everyone's here."

Shifang poked his head out from under the stage, his mouth greasy.

"Grilled fish are ready too, 500 pieces, plenty."

"Five hundred?" Nan Feng glanced at him.

"I've counted, there are probably around three hundred people here. Each person eats one and a half pieces of rice. Any leftovers will be saved for a late-night snack."

Shifang counted on his fingers, and after finishing, he added a sentence.

"Yue Guan also prepared Immortal Herb cakes, made from powder ground from Immortal Herb, said to be for distinguished guests to try."

Nan Feng patted his head and walked to the front of the stage.

The audience fell silent. Ning Fengzhi put down his teacup, Yu Tianheng straightened his back, and Emperor Xue Beng adjusted his attire.

Zhu Zhuqing emerged from the shadows. Tang Yuehua arrived from the Moonlight Pavilion, but was a step late, so she found an empty seat in the back.

Tang San stood with Xiao Wu at the entrance of the palace, not squeezing inside, but leaning against the doorpost and watching.

"Everyone."

Nan Feng spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it was carried by his Immortal Power to every corner of the temple.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Immortal Dao has submitted to the Immortal Path, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has formed an alliance, and the Far North Immortal Alliance has officially merged into it. Bi Ji of the Star Dou Great Forest and the Emerald Swan King of the Lake of Life have both arrived."

"Senior Ah Yin has been resurrected, and the Blue Silver Emperor Clan is now united. Bibi Dong Bibi Dong..." He paused, glancing towards the side door, "... is also recovered."

"Everyone who was supposed to come has come, and everyone who could come has come."

A burst of laughter erupted from the audience.

The Nan Feng raises its wine glass.

"Homage to all realms."

"Homage to the Immortal Master!" came the unanimous reply from below.

"Respect the Immortal Dao."

"Homage to the Immortal Master!"

"A toast to you—" He glanced around, then looked towards the side door, "A toast to you all."

"Homage to the Immortal Master!"

Shifang shouted at the top of his lungs from below the stage.

"Eat fish!"

The crowd burst into laughter. Huo Wu was the first to stand up and rush towards the grilled fish, Shui Bing'er couldn't stop her.

Taking advantage of the moment when Dugu Yan loosened her grip, Dugu Bo shoved a plate of candied fruit in front of him. He ignored the glare from Dugu Yan and stuffed the fruit into his mouth.

Nan Feng stood on the stage for a while, holding a wine glass, looking at the chaotic scene below, and recalled the first Immortal Dao Ceremony.

It was just as chaotic back then, but there were fewer people, so it wasn't too chaotic. Now there are more people, and more things to do, but it's lively.

As he was thinking, a commotion arose at the entrance of the palace.

Ning Fengzhi was the first to react, putting down his teacup and standing up. Yu Tianheng followed suit, while Emperor Xue Beng frowned and looked towards the palace entrance.

Tang San stepped aside at the doorway to make way for him.

A middle-aged woman in a plain white robe walked in from outside the palace gate. She was accompanied by two attendants in silver-gray outfits, each with a nine-petaled lotus flower embroidered on their chest, the mark of the Divine Realm messenger.

The woman had a slender face and a cold demeanor. As she entered the temple, her gaze swept around, pausing briefly on the Ancient Tree of Life and the Nine Heavens Treasure Pearl before finally settling on Nan Feng.

"Messenger from the Divine Realm, Holy Mother White Lotus."

She stood at the entrance of the palace, not going inside, her voice flat.

"I have come to observe the ceremony on the orders of the Divine Realm's Law Enforcement Hall."

Nan Feng put down his wine glass.

Old Huai clicked his tongue inside the tower.

"The Law Enforcement Hall? This isn't from the lineage of the Goddess of Life."

Nan Feng didn't respond to Old Huai's words, but smiled at the Holy Mother White Lotus.

"Welcome to the ceremony. Please be seated."

The Holy Mother White Lotus looked at him without moving.

"Immortal Master, the Law Enforcement Hall asked me to convey a message. The Immortal Dao Alliance is developing too rapidly, causing some unease in the Divine Realm. I've come this time both to observe the ceremony and to take a look."

The audience fell silent.

Huo Wu stood in front of the grill, holding a grilled fish in her hand, and glanced back at Nan Feng. Shui Bing'er put down her teacup and placed her hand on the Ice Crystal Amulet.

Dugu Bo stopped chewing the candied fruit and squinted at the three people at the palace gate.

Nan Feng took two steps forward, holding his wine glass, and stood on the edge of the platform, looking down at the Holy Mother White Lotus.

"What did you think after watching it?"

The Holy Mother White Lotus remained silent for a while. Her gaze swept over the Ancient Tree of Life, the Nine Heavens Treasure Pearl, and the Three Lights Divine Water before she finally spoke.

It's bigger than what was written in the report.

Nan Feng chuckled.

"So what does the Law Enforcement Hall plan to do?"

The Holy Mother White Lotus didn't respond to that question. Instead, she took out a silver-white token from her sleeve and placed it on the stone steps at the entrance of the temple.

"This is a summons from the Law Enforcement Hall. If anything comes up, the Divine Realm will use this token to contact you. If there's nothing else—" She paused, "I'll be going now. The ceremony is over."

She turned and left, with two attendants following behind.

Nan Feng stepped off the stage, picked up the communication token from the ground, examined it from all angles, and then threw it into the Tower Spirit Space.

Old Huai muttered something inside the tower.

"You accepted the Law Enforcement Hall's token far too casually."

"Take it or leave it."

Nan Feng walked to the grill and took a grilled fish from Shifang.

"If they really want to cause trouble, it doesn't matter whether they accept the token or not. If they don't want to cause trouble, the token is just for show."

He took a bite of the fish and thought it tasted good.

Inside the temple behind them, Ning Fengzhi clinked his wine cup against Yu Tianheng's and whispered something.

Zhu Zhuqing emerged from the shadows, glanced at Nan Feng, and then disappeared back into the shadows.

Bibi Dong poured out the cooled tea by the side door, poured herself a fresh cup of hot tea, held it in her hand, leaned against the doorframe, and watched Nan Feng eat fish.

Ah Yin said something to her.

Aren't you going to get one?

Bibi Dong shook her head.

"I'm not hungry."

Ah Yin glanced at her, chuckled, and said nothing.

At the top of the tower, the Nine Heavens Treasure Pearl spun in celestial light. The Three Lights Divine Water condensed into a new drop of liquid inside the pearl, which was flowing down the pearl's surface.