Ever since the sect heads, elders, and direct disciples of various major sects perished in droves at Xiao Zhe Manor, the Great Northwest had been shrouded in dark clouds for days on end, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive. The once lively major manors had grown desolate, and it was rare to see even a few people on the streets; everywhere was a scene of bleakness.
However.
In recent days, the situation had changed.
The Great Northwest had suddenly become bustling. The leaders of various major sects, great families, and large guilds led their disciples in droves towards the Northwest Immortal Domain.
The so-called Immortal Domain was the former Wugu Domain. However, since the opening of the Present Age, Wugu Domain had been renamed the Immortal Domain for a simple reason: because the Immortal Office was located there.
The area of Wugu Domain itself wasn't particularly rich in resources, nor did it have many powerful spiritual veins. But ever since the Immortal Office was established there, it had employed various grand methods and extensive efforts to excavate Wugu Domain, forcibly forging a Radiance Spiritual Vein that traversed the entire domain. After a century of nurturing, today, the Immortal Domain had become a treasure land, with a concentration of spiritual energy that could be called the greatest in the Great Northwest.
The fame of the Radiance Spiritual Vein was known to all.
This was also the exclusive spiritual vein of the Immortal Dynasty.
In this world, wherever there was an Immortal Office, there would be a Radiance Spiritual Vein.
And the Radiance Spiritual Vein contained pure Radiant Spiritual Energy.
This kind of spiritual energy could be called a treasure among spiritual energies. It was said the seed of the Radiance Spiritual Vein was nurtured from the Nine Heavens Immortal River. One could imagine how precious Radiant Spiritual Energy must be, absolutely incomparable to the spiritual veins of Yaoyue Palace or Hunyuan Gate. Rumors said that cultivating for a single day under the influence of Radiant Spiritual Energy could rival several months outside. Whether this was true or false remained unknown.
And that was only secondary.
Radiant Spiritual Energy was exceptionally pure. After absorbing it, whether condensing a Golden Core, nurturing a Nascent Soul, or cultivating the Primordial Spirit, not only would one not fail, but the condensed Golden Core or Nascent Soul would be even more powerful.
This was indeed a fact.
All cultivators knew that the purer the spiritual energy, the more precious it was. And the measure of a Golden Core or Nascent Soul's strength also depended on the purity of the spiritual power it contained. The purer the spiritual power, the stronger it was.
In other words, cultivating under the influence of Radiant Spiritual Energy was not only faster and more stable, but one's strength within the same realm would also be greater.
This was also why many experts from the Ancient Era had flocked to the Immortal Office, willing to lower their status and serve as mere attendants just to cultivate there—all for the chance to absorb Radiant Spiritual Energy.
Even so, it made many people envious.
Ordinary cultivators, begging and pleading, still had no qualification to set foot in the Immortal Domain. Forget ordinary cultivators; even the leaders and direct disciples of major sects had to report first if they wished to cultivate in the Immortal Domain.
Normally, the Immortal Domain was not open to the public, and unauthorized entry was strictly forbidden.
At this very moment, a great many people were gathered outside the Immortal Domain, densely packed, countless in number. Looking out, it was a sea of people everywhere, and large contingents were still continuously arriving from all directions.
These people were all disciples from the various major sects and great families of the Great Northwest. The reason for their gathering here today was to respectfully welcome the Immortal Officials and Envoys from the Immortal Dynasty.
Rumors had already spread several days prior that a large number of Immortal Officials and Envoys from the Immortal Dynasty would be stationed at the Northwest Immortal Office.
As everyone knew.
The Immortal Dynasty was the ruler of this world.
Although during the Ancient Era, the Immortal Dynasty had lost popular support due to monopolizing spiritual vein resources and was later annihilated by Lord Chixiao, the Immortal Dynasty was, after all, the Immortal Dynasty, representing the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm. In the minds of many, it remained a supreme and lofty existence.
What does one cultivate for?
Naturally, to become an Immortal.
Who would dare show disrespect to the Immortal Dynasty, which represented the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm, if they wished to attain the Dao and become an Immortal?
The answer was certain.
Absolutely no one.
Therefore, upon hearing that Immortal Officials and Envoys from the Immortal Dynasty were descending, over eighty major domains of the Great Northwest, tens of thousands of large and small sects, and countless disciples dropped everything to come and welcome them. Especially the giants of the Great Northwest like Hunyuan Gate and the Huwei Wang Family had arrived at the Immortal Domain as early as three days prior.
Having lost so many people at Xiao Zhe Manor earlier—killed by Gu Qingfeng, and not just ordinary members but leaders and direct disciples—the major giants had suffered heavy losses. Hindered by Gu Qingfeng's formidable strength, they dared not seek revenge themselves and could only hope for the Immortal Office to uphold justice on their behalf. After waiting so many days, the Immortal Dynasty's representatives were finally coming. How could they not be excited?
The entire Immortal Domain was enveloped by layers of profound formations. No one dared approach. Countless disciples from various sects surrounded the area, waiting.
And within the Immortal Domain.
The people of the Immortal Office had also long since stood quietly before the domain's stele, waiting.
Present were over thirty elders, over sixty head administrators, over ninety stewards, and several hundred attendants of the Immortal Office. The famously renowned Twenty-Four Pride Immortals of the Immortal Office should have been there too, but after the events at Xiao Zhe Manor, they were either dead or perished; those not dead were crippled, not a single one left whole.
Since its establishment in the Great Northwest, the Immortal Office had never suffered such a profound humiliation.
Regarding this.
Although those within the Immortal Office found it unbearable, hindered by Gu Qingfeng's formidable strength, none dared act rashly. Even among the over thirty elders, there were old monsters with Primordial Spirits capable of a thousand transformations and ten thousand methods, old monsters with Dao-hearts that had weathered ten tribulations, and even Five-Star Immortal Officials—yet none dared.
So what if they possessed a thousand transformations and ten thousand methods?
So what if they were old monsters with Dao-hearts that had weathered ten tribulations?
What of it if they were Five-Star Immortal Officials protected by Immortal guardians?
Facing a mysterious existence whose Physical Body couldn't be shaken even by ten thousand people besieging him simultaneously, who would dare act rashly?
Facing a mysterious existence who could wipe out a reincarnated great power, a former True Immortal, with a flick of his finger, who would dare act rashly?
No one dared.
Among the Immortal Office crowd.
An Ran, as a chief steward of the Immortal Office, was naturally present.
However, she appeared preoccupied with thoughts.
Indeed.
Ever since hearing the words spoken by Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao, she had been lost in wild fancies these past days, also pondering whether to heed Wan Huaiyu's advice and leave the Immortal Office.
She had known before that the people coming from the Immortal Dynasty were all for the so-called Heavenly Mandate.
But only after hearing Wan Huaiyu's words did she realize the Great Northwest was a place where dragons and tigers hid, with experts as numerous as clouds. Not only were there Canyang Mountain and the ancient Nine-Star Mansions, but also many reincarnated great powers, as low-key as Wan Huaiyu himself, all watching intently for the Heavenly Mandate that might or might not descend. Once the Heavenly Mandate appeared, it would inevitably trigger a war with unforeseeable consequences.
What truly troubled and worried An Ran was that mysterious and mysterious Young Lord Chiyan, Gu Qingfeng.
Even now, she couldn't forget Wan Huaiyu's words: stay away from Gu Qingfeng, the farther the better. Don't provoke him. You can't afford to provoke him. No one can afford to provoke him. Those from the Immortal Office can't, those from the Immortal Dynasty can't either. If the people from the Immortal Dynasty this time seek trouble with him, you must leave the Immortal Office. Because not only will he kill the people from the Immortal Dynasty, he will also annihilate your Immortal Office.