The Shangguan family truly had an abundance of talent.
Among the descendants of Shangguan Dong's generation, their cultivation levels were mostly at the seventh or eighth Luminaries, with quite a few Daluo Jinxian having reached the Nine Luminaries.
As for the dozen or so members of his father Shangguan Feixing's generation, they were uniformly all Great Desolate Spirit Immortals.
One must know that even in the Shuangji Celestial Domain, within some Immortal Secret Realms, there were only a handful of Great Desolate Spirit Immortals. Yet the Shangguan family, just one Immortal Clan, had so many Great Desolate Spirit Immortals—and these were only the ones aboard the Xuantian Great Vessel. Who knew how many experts the entire Shangguan family truly possessed?
No wonder the Shangguan family could thrive so successfully in the vast Lingluo Celestial Domain; they were truly formidable.
And Shangguan Dong's father, Shangguan Feixing, was even a Wugui Spirit Immortal.
Daluo Jinxian cultivated the Nine Luminaries, refining Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.
Great Desolate Spirit Immortals, however, cultivated the Nine Harmonies, refining the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
For a Daluo Jinxian, each realm was a world apart, each world a myriad of mountains.
This was even more true for Great Desolate Spirit Immortals.
Achieving the status of a Great Desolate Spirit Immortal was already difficult; advancing a step further from that foundation was a challenge among challenges.
For the Nine Luminaries realms of a Daluo Jinxian, if one's aptitude was lacking, comprehension insufficient, and they had no fortuitous encounters, they might still advance through arduous cultivation alone or by forcefully piling up cultivation resources.
But for the realm of Great Desolate Spirit Immortal, if one's aptitude was lacking, comprehension insufficient, and they had no fortuitous encounters, relying solely on arduous cultivation would not allow advancement. Piling up cultivation resources would not force a breakthrough either.
Some said that the Great Desolate Spirit Immortal realm was both a hurdle on the cultivation path and the end of that road.
If one could cross this hurdle, they could open the gate to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
If they could not cross it, they might remain at this stage for a lifetime, forever unable to open that gate, and their cultivation path would halt right there.
In the Great Desolate, eight or nine out of ten cultivators would stop at the Great Desolate Spirit Immortal stage. Those who could cross this hurdle and open the gate to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches were truly one in ten thousand.
There were quite a few Great Desolate Spirit Immortals aboard this Xuantian Great Vessel, but most, after achieving that status, had still been unable to open the gate to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, halting their progress. This included the dozen or so Great Desolate Spirit Immortals of the Shangguan family. Even Old Huang, who had cultivated for nearly a hundred thousand years, was no exception, for he had truly been stuck at this realm for a very, very long time—so long he had forgotten himself.
Looking across the deck of the great vessel, only Shangguan Feixing had crossed this hurdle, opened the gate to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and achieved the status of Wugui Spirit Immortal.
Even among Great Desolate Spirit Immortals, whether one had opened that gate made a world of difference.
The dozen or so Great Desolate Spirit Immortals of the Shangguan family had spiritual auras around them that were versatile and spiritual, with the Five Elements refined to a micro-level. Though each had integrated into nature, like wind or lightning, they always gave off a very elusive feeling, as if changing along with the shifts of nature.
Shangguan Feixing was different. He too had integrated into nature, but he stood within it more like an unshakable rock. His every breath, every thought and movement, was like nature itself changing.
"Father, this Lei Lie has bullied me too much. Today, I must teach him a lesson, make him remember. Otherwise..." Before Shangguan Dong could finish, Shangguan Feixing cut him off, rebuking, "Silence!
Brother Lei Lie is my friend, thus he is your elder. How can a junior like you raise a hand against an elder?
Hurry and apologize to Brother Lei Lie!"
"Hmph!"
Shangguan Dong snorted coldly but said nothing.
"I say, Brother Shangguan, let it be."
Seeing Shangguan Feixing approach, Lei Lie knew this fight wasn't going to happen.
"Brother Lei Lie, Dong'er is young and impulsive, lacking discretion in his actions. It's also my fault for failing to teach him properly. I hope you won't take it to heart."
Shangguan Feixing personally stepped forward to apologize for Shangguan Dong, giving Lei Lie ample face.
However.
This face, Lei Lie did not care for.
Others might not know, but he was aware that this Shangguan Feixing was no good bird either—one set of manners on the surface, another in the shadows, a complete smiling tiger. Thus, he couldn't be bothered to engage with Shangguan Feixing too much.
"My apologies, Second Master, for making a spectacle of myself."
Lei Lie said to Gu Qingfeng, "Brother here couldn't hold back his temper for a moment, disturbing Second Master's refined mood. I am truly sorry."
"What's there to apologize for?"
Gu Qingfeng said, "Sister Yunyan, pour our Brother Lei Lie a cup of wine to comfort him and cool his temper."
Yunyan Fairy glanced at Gu Qingfeng, a rather complex look in her eyes.
"What's the matter?"
Reclining in his chair, Gu Qingfeng smiled as he met Yunyan Fairy's gaze. "Not willing?"
"How would Yunyan dare to disobey Second Master's order?"
With that.
Yunyan Fairy truly stood up and prepared to pour wine for Lei Lie.
"Fairy Yunyan, this...
This really won't do."
Lei Lie felt both honored and overwhelmed, a bit dazed, his mind in a jumble. He stood there frozen, unsure what to do.
He was like this.
And every single person on the deck, without exception, stood frozen like statues, all somewhat dazed.
Earlier, this fellow had said he wanted Yunyan Fairy to drink with him, and Yunyan Fairy had actually come.
This fellow had flirted with Yunyan Fairy right in front of everyone, even told her to sit beside him. Not only had Yunyan Fairy not gotten angry, she had actually sat down next to him.
Now this fellow was telling Yunyan Fairy to pour wine for Lei Lie, and Yunyan Fairy was actually standing up to pour wine for Lei Lie.
Why!
Just why was this!
Was this still the same Yunyan Fairy who ignored Supreme Immortals like Shangguan Dong, rejected the great young master Mo who bore an Immortal Dao Edict, the elegant, aloof, seemingly ethereal fairy who appeared untouched by mortal dust?
How had she now, in front of this fellow, become a respectful and obedient maidservant?
Watching this scene.
Shangguan Dong's face was as grim as it could be, for just moments ago everyone had seen Yunyan Fairy ignore his existence. Now she was showing such respect to a mere Shangren. How could the proud and arrogant Shangguan Dong endure this?
He felt as if his dignity had been trampled upon, suffering immense humiliation.
"Dong'er, don't act impulsively."
Shangguan Feixing behind him transmitted a secret message, saying, "That Yunyan Fairy's existence is not simple. The person beside her is likely even more extraordinary."
"He's nothing but a Shangren bearing the Human Dao Edict. What's so extraordinary about that? Don't even mention the Human Dao Edict; even if it were the Human Dao Mandate, in my eyes he'd still be an ant!"
Shangguan Feixing stared at Gu Qingfeng, persuading, "You are still young. There are things you don't know, don't understand. The existence of a Shangren is not as simple as you imagine. If a Shangren's existence were truly just someone bearing the Human Dao Edict, then before the Ancient Times era, Shangren would not have become a legend."
Just as Shangguan Feixing was trying to persuade Shangguan Dong.
Another voice sounded.
"Well now, the deck is really quite lively today."
In response appeared two people—one an old man, the other a youth.
The old man had a sinister air about him, while the youth was a radiant, handsome young man full of sunshine.