Although Han Dong and Ouyang Ye's cultivation levels were not high, they both possessed unique fortunes. Ouyang Ye, in particular, held the fortune of nature's endless vitality. Discovering that their spiritual power was unable to withstand the Nascent Soul pressure of Daozun Xuanshui, the two prepared to manifest their own fortunes to resist. Just then, a sudden surge of holy power enveloped them, blocking Daozun Xuanshui's Nascent Soul pressure.
Looking over, they saw that Qian Shan had already made her move.
She did not manifest her Nascent Soul or her fortune. Instead, she manifested an umbrella. This umbrella was pure as ice and jade, crystal clear, radiating a milky-white radiance. Its holy power suppressed Daozun Xuanshui's Nascent Soul pressure.
"Oh?"
Daozun Xuanshui seemed not to have expected Qian Shan to possess such a holy treasure. He let out a soft sound of surprise, and his Nascent Soul pressure grew even more powerful, surging like a roaring sea of blood.
Qian Shan remained unmoved. As she raised her hand, several magic formulas condensed and manifested. The holy jade umbrella began to spin, and its holy power also grew increasingly potent.
Daozun Xuanshui's Nascent Soul pressure was indeed formidable, but it was far too malevolent. The holy power emanating from Qian Shan's jade umbrella specialized in countering his evil. No matter how powerful his Nascent Soul pressure became, it could not suppress her.
"Overestimating your own strength! A mere trifling treasure dares to contend with this venerable one!"
Daozun Xuanshui snorted coldly, his words filled with disdain. Just as he was about to take action, another group of people swarmed into Yaoyue Palace. Seeing them, Daozun Xuanshui paused for a moment and did not continue his attack.
He was not the only one. When Feilu and the others saw the newcomers, they were overjoyed. The arrivals were none other than people from the Immortal Office.
A closer look revealed quite the sight—almost all of the Immortal Office's Twenty-Four Pride Immortals had come.
Each of the Twenty-Four Pride Immortals was a dragon or phoenix among men. Of the so-called Ten Great Prodigies and Ten Great Talented Maidens of the Great Northwest, the Immortal Office alone accounted for six. Whether in terms of innate talent, comprehension, or fortune, they were considered the cream of the crop. Moreover, each possessed an Immortal Guard bestowed by the Immortal Court, possibly more than one. How powerful their true strength was remained unknown to all.
Especially Shentu Hao, Han Feng, and the other six who ranked among the Ten Great Prodigies and Talented Maidens. They possessed the transcendent great perfection of eighty-one layers of nature's colored spirits. Their cultivation was either at the Spirit Transformation or God Transformation stage. Most importantly, all six of them possessed triple-layered Immortal Guards bestowed by the Immortal Court. Their overall strength was absolutely terrifyingly powerful.
Was that all?
No.
Apart from the six among the Ten Great Prodigies and Talented Maidens, Murong Tian, hailed as the leader of the Twenty-Four Pride Immortals, was even more remarkable. The four types of spiritual auras emanating from his body alone left others far behind.
The first was an aura of Nascent Soul and Dao-heart. In other words, despite his youth, he had already forged a Dao-heart, and the aura of that Dao-heart was extraordinary.
The second was an aura of colored spirits. As the proclaimed leader of the Twenty-Four Pride Immortals, his colored spirit aura was not lower than the others; it might even have broken through the eighty-one-layer great perfection.
Even more frightening was that he actually possessed a quadruple-layered Immortal Guard.
Many knew how powerful the Immortal Guard's strength was, but few understood just how terrifying the power of a quadruple-layered Immortal Guard could be. At the very least, in the past hundred years of the Present-Ancient Era, no one had ever seen an Immortal Official possessing a quadruple-layered Immortal Guard. Murong Tian was the first.
Apart from these three spiritual auras, Murong Tian also possessed a mysterious fourth spiritual aura. What this aura was, no one knew.
This time, the Immortal Office's delegation was not limited to the Twenty-Four Pride Immortals. There were also many Immortal Estate Attendants, and these attendants were no ordinary individuals. Almost all were experts who had shaken their regions in the Ancient Era, including the Hunchbacked Old Daoist, the Black Spirit Old Monster...
These people had been Daozun at the God Transformation realm in the Ancient Era. Among them were even two old monsters who had forged Dao-hearts.
With such cultivation levels, they would be at least council elders in any sect in the Great Northwest, perhaps even surpassing grand elders.
Yet, they had all joined the Immortal Office.
Upon reflection, this was not surprising. By joining the Immortal Office, even as mere attendants, they were considered half-people of the Immortal Court. The resources they enjoyed were beyond what elders of major sects could compare to.
But that was secondary.
The key was that the Immortal Office was filled with experts and had numerous reincarnated mighty ones in residence. Their cultivation had almost reached a bottleneck. To break through, they needed not only abundant resources but also guidance from masters. The Immortal Office could satisfy both conditions.
Of course.
What truly attracted them was the so-called Immortal's Blessing.
The reason it was called the Immortal's Blessing was that it protected not just the physical body, but also the foundation, the Violet Palace, and even the Nascent Soul and Dao-heart. In other words, by nurturing a bright seed of the Immortal's Blessing, one's physical body, foundation, Nascent Soul, and everything else gained protection. Even if cultivation went awry, one would not easily succumb to qi deviation. Overcoming the Three Calamities, Six Tribulations, and Nine Cataclysms would be twice as effective, and ascending to immortality would have an extra layer of security.
This was what they truly craved.
These once-mighty grandmasters of the Ancient Era entered the Immortal Office as attendants mostly for this reason.
Though it might be somewhat embarrassing to admit, for the sake of attaining the Dao and achieving immortality, everything was worth it.
Feilu stepped forward to greet them. However, he did not address Murong Tian and the other Twenty-Four Pride Immortals, nor did he greet the group of high-cultivation attendants like the Hunchbacked Old Daoist and the Black Spirit Old Monster. Instead, he cupped his fists and bowed respectfully to a middle-aged man in splendid attire.
Others might not know, but Feilu, who had been in secret contact with the Immortal Office, clearly understood. Among this Immortal Office delegation, whether in terms of cultivation strength or status, this middle-aged man was the highest.
This man's surname was Li, given name Fu.
He was the Grand Steward of the Immortal Office.
Do not be fooled by the title of mere steward. The Twenty-Four Pride Immortals and the many attendants all had to obey his commands. With this status, elders of major sects had to be humble and deferential in his presence. Even the sect head of Hunyuan Gate or the clan head of the Huwei Wang Family had to greet him politely when they met.
As more and more people arrived, the expressions of Qian Shan, Han Dong, and Ouyang Ye grew increasingly uneasy.
Before coming, they knew this journey would be like entering a dragon's den or a tiger's lair. They had anticipated that various forces might appear, but they hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly, nor had they expected so many powerful individuals from each faction. Hunyuan Gate, the Huwei Wang Family, and Blackwind Cave had almost mobilized their entire forces. From sect heads and elders down to personal disciples, all who should come had come. Even those ancestral patriarchs who shouldn't have come had arrived in droves.
And now, the Immortal Office's Twenty-Four Pride Immortals, plus a group of unfathomably powerful attendants, and that profoundly mysterious Grand Steward Li Fu.
This...
Ouyang Ye had always been bold and had never truly been afraid of anything. But now, surrounded by so many experts, not only was her heart pounding, but her body was also trembling uncontrollably.
It wasn't just her. Even Qian Shan's expression had turned somewhat grim. She frowned deeply, unsure of how to handle so many powerful opponents.
Just as they were worrying, another group of people charged into Yaoyue Palace.
Seeing this group, Qian Shan's face turned even paler, and Ouyang Ye was so frightened she nearly burst into tears.
Because the group storming into Yaoyue Palace was none other than Crimson-Letter Manor.