"The people from the Jinnwu Secret Realm rely on their numbers to act tyrannically throughout the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain, especially those dozen or so with Immortal Beast mounts. Their parents are all powerful figures within the Jinnwu Secret Realm, and they are incredibly arrogant. But the most detestable one is that guy standing on the Fire Cloud Lion-Tiger."
Qianniao stared at the man standing atop the Fire Cloud Lion-Tiger, gnashing her teeth as she spoke with venom: "That scoundrel's name is Li Fengyan. Relying on the fact that his Li Family is one of the more powerful Immortal Clans in the Jinnwu Secret Realm, and his father is an elder there, this bastard is utterly insolent! In the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain, he bullies men and humiliates women, committing every evil deed imaginable. He even once declared that he wanted Ling'er Jie to become his Immortal Fate Dao Companion. If Ling'er Jie refused, he threatened to wipe out our Xiaoluo Secret Realm. He's absolutely despicable!"
Every time she recalled this matter, Qianniao would be filled with rage.
Yet she could only be angry.
Though she hated to admit it, she had no choice but to acknowledge that in the Great Desolate, one's background was far too important—so important it could even determine a person's future.
Take Li Fengyan, for example. Backed by the resource-rich Jinnwu Secret Realm and born into an Immortal Clan, he never had to worry about cultivation resources. Even with the poorest aptitude, resources could be piled on to forcibly create a Grand Luo Golden Immortal brimming with creation. Moreover, the Immortal Clans of the Great Desolate were not something the major secular worlds could compare to.
In the major secular worlds, a family could be called an Immortal Clan as long as an ancestor had once produced an Immortal.
But in the Great Desolate, even if every single ancestor for generations had been Immortals, it still wouldn't be enough to be called an Immortal Clan.
In the Great Desolate, any family worthy of the title 'Immortal Clan' had ancestors who had received formal enfeoffment from the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao, ascended to the Nine Heavens, stood upon the Immortal Platform, and received the purifying grace of the Immortal Dao's Great Radiance. Therefore, the descendants of Great Desolate Immortal Clans not only had aptitudes that were not poor, but were actually more excellent and pure than the offspring of other Immortals.
Li Fengyan was exactly like this.
Though born, like Qianling, with an Innate Immortal Physique, because Li Fengyan's ancestors had received the purifying grace of the Immortal Dao's Great Radiance, his Innate Immortal Physique was far purer and more powerful than Qianling's. Cultivating naturally yielded twice the result for half the effort. While Qianling achieved Golden Immortal at fifteen, he was reportedly already a Golden Immortal at ten. Decades had passed since then, and no one knew exactly what level of Grand Luo Golden Immortal his cultivation had reached.
Because ordinary Immortals simply didn't dare provoke him.
Setting aside the three great creations forged by piling on vast resources for the moment.
The ferocious Fire Cloud Lion-Tiger beneath his feet alone was enough to make many Immortals flee at the sight of it.
Having roamed the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain with Qianling for so many years, Qianniao had long learned to endure. She understood clearly that with the Xiaoluo Secret Realm's current strength, they couldn't afford to offend Li Fengyan, nor the Immortal Clan behind him, let alone the powerful Jinnwu Secret Realm.
"Heh, I was just wondering whose aura was so elegantly cold and enchanting. So it's Immortal Lady Qianling."
Li Fengyan's voice rang out. The massive Fire Cloud Lion-Tiger beneath his feet roared and pounced forward, blocking Qianling's path. Immediately after, over a dozen companions riding Immortal Beast mounts and a hundred attendants piloting Immortal Weapon treasures also rushed over.
"Immortal Lady Qianling, it's been a while."
Li Fengyan stood atop the Fire Cloud Lion-Tiger's head, arms crossed, looking exceedingly arrogant. A playful smile touched his lips as he said, "I've missed you greatly since our last parting. I trust Immortal Lady Qianling has been well?"
"Li Fengyan, do you have other business for stopping me?"
Opposite him.
Qianling also stood atop the Nine Mystic Star Elephant. Already naturally aloof, her expression was now utterly impassive. Facing Li Fengyan, she was neither subservient nor arrogant, her demeanor profoundly indifferent.
"No other business. I merely wished to have a chat with Immortal Lady Qianling."
"My apologies. I must be on my way. Please move aside."
"I presume Immortal Lady Qianling is also heading to the Fengyue Small World? How about we travel together?"
Qianling refused curtly: "Unnecessary."
When Qianling flatly rejected him, the smile instantly vanished from Li Fengyan's lips. His words lost their courtesy, turning sharp and aggressive. "Qianling, let me tell you this. Throughout the entire Dual-Pole Celestial Domain, countless Immortal Maidens wish to form an Immortal Fate Dao Companion bond with me, Li Fengyan. My taking a fancy to you is a blessing I bestow upon you. You'd better not be so ungrateful."
"My apologies. I, Qianling, am unworthy of your blessing."
With that, Qianling attempted to turn and leave with the dozen or so from the Xiaoluo Secret Realm. But the moment she moved, the hundred-plus people who had come with Li Fengyan immediately surrounded them, sealing off all escape.
"Hmph! Today, unless I, Li Fengyan, give the nod, you won't take half a step away!" Li Fengyan declared with extreme arrogance. "Let me make this clear: today, you will agree whether you want to or not. In the entire Dual-Pole Celestial Domain, no one has ever dared to defy my face!"
Though surrounded by over a hundred people at this moment, the dozen or so from the Xiaoluo Secret Realm showed no trace of fear. They all circulated their Immortal Spirit, causing the Immortal Armor on their bodies and the Immortal Weapons beneath their feet to radiate with light.
Though they couldn't afford to provoke Li Fengyan, if he pressed them relentlessly and refused to let them go, they could only fight to the death.
They were prepared.
Qianniao was no exception. She immediately circulated her Immortal Spirit and rushed to the front beside Qianling, ready to act at a moment's notice.
Gu Qingfeng remained seated cross-legged on Qianniao's Immortal Weapon flying sword. He glanced at Li Fengyan and his hundred-plus followers, then at the dozen or so from the Xiaoluo Secret Realm, before finally settling his gaze on Qianling. He was also quite curious about how Qianling would handle the current situation.
Fight their way through?
Did the Xiaoluo Secret Realm have the strength for that?
The dozen or so from the Xiaoluo Secret Realm might not possess that capability.
But that didn't mean Qianling didn't.
At the very least, Gu Qingfeng could tell that, given Qianling's true strength, if she were determined to fight her way through, this hundred or so people, including Li Fengyan and his dozen or so companions on Immortal Beast mounts, truly couldn't stop her.
This girl hid her depths well; she wasn't as simple as she appeared on the surface. Her true power was not something this hundred or so could contend with.
The key issue now, however, was that Li Fengyan had both an Immortal Clan backing him and the Jinnwu Secret Realm as his rear support. If they struck him, it would mean provoking an Immortal Clan and even the entire Jinnwu Secret Realm—a consequence Qianling could not bear.
"Li Fengyan, I have been invited to attend the grand event in the Fengyue Small World. I hope you will not hinder me."
"Invited?" Li Fengyan sneered disdainfully. "You merely preside over an insignificant little secret realm. What qualifications do you have to receive an invitation from the Fengyue Small World?"
Qianling said nothing more. Raising her hand, a pure white, jade-like token suddenly appeared in her palm. The front of the token was carved with the characters 'Fengyue,' while the back seemed to depict a vividly lifelike jade rabbit.
Seeing this white jade token carved with 'Fengyue,' Li Fengyan's expression changed dramatically to one of great shock. And when he saw the vividly lifelike jade rabbit on the back of the white jade token, his disbelief turned to utter astonishment.