504: Tide Pavilion - Mengke!

Just as Su Ming had been with the Sacred Heaven Sect for a full month, the entire Sect was buzzing with a piece of news.

A major figure from the Tidal Pavilion was arriving to lend a helping hand to the Sacred Heaven Sect.

Disciples within the Sect spread the news, making it sound miraculous; some said they were coming to teach a supreme Cultivation Technique, while others said they would gift peerless Medicinal Pills.

Only Su Ming's heart was as clear as a mirror; he knew very well the true purpose of those people's visit.

In front of the Sect's mountain gate, heads were moving in a crowd.

To show their importance, the Grand Elder, an Immortal Emperor Fourth Heaven, personally came out to welcome them.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his aura heavy and condensed, making the Disciples who usually jumped around stay as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to act recklessly.

Su Ming mixed in at the back of the crowd, his expression indifferent as he watched quietly.

Before long, a streak of light flashed across the horizon, and silently, a pristine figure in white stood outside the mountain gate.

There were no earth-shaking anomalies, nor were there any magnificent Magic Treasure carriages.

The visitor appeared just like that out of thin air, yet it caused the Spiritual Qi flowing between heaven and earth to stagnate.

The Grand Elder's face turned solemn as he quickly stepped forward, about to speak.

But Su Ming, upon seeing that cold and beautiful face clearly, felt his heart leap and his breath skip a beat.

It was actually her?

Meng Ling!

The one who had accompanied the Tidal Empress to the Three-Party Conference at the Immortal Sword Manor not long ago.

Su Ming's mind was in turmoil.

Why would a supreme powerhouse of the Immortal Emperor Ninth Heaven not go to the further Outer Heaven, but instead be sent to a place like the Sacred Heaven Sect?

This defied all logic.

Just as Su Ming's heart was shaken, a cold gaze seemed to penetrate through the layers of the crowd, landing precisely on him.

For a powerhouse of Meng Ling's Realm...

Among the hundreds of reverent and curious gazes, Su Ming's gaze, mixed with shock and confusion, was as conspicuous as a torch in the dark night.

Her gaze swept past, originally just a routine glance, but it froze the moment it touched Su Ming.

Hmm?

For the first time, a slight ripple appeared on Meng Ling's face, which was usually as frozen as ten-thousand-year-old ice.

She even subconsciously blinked, wondering if she was hallucinating due to the long journey.

Su Ming?

Why would he be here?

Clouds of doubt immediately rose in Meng Ling's heart.

In her eyes, Su Ming should be in seclusion at the Immortal Sword Manor right now; he definitely shouldn't be wearing the Sacred Heaven Sect's Disciple uniform, mixed in with a group of mediocre Immortal Lord Realm cultivators.

The Grand Elder of the Sacred Heaven Sect was shrewd and immediately noticed Meng Ling's emotional fluctuations.

He followed her gaze, which landed precisely on Su Ming at the end of the crowd.

An ordinary Disciple of the Immortal Lord First Heaven?

The Grand Elder frowned imperceptibly and asked tentatively.

“Fellow Daoist Meng, could it be that you know this Disciple of my Sect?”

Meng Ling withdrew her gaze and uttered two words.

“Your Sect?”

She sized up the Grand Elder again, her tone carrying an inexplicable meaning.

“He is a member of your Sacred Heaven Sect?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Meng Ling actually couldn't help but let out a soft laugh in public.

This smile was like the first melting of an iceberg, yet it made the Sacred Heaven Sect Disciples present stare blankly, and it also made the Grand Elder's face instantly turn dark.

In the Grand Elder's view, this laughter was full of mockery.

It was as if she were laughing at the Sacred Heaven Sect for having no experience and recruiting just anyone into the Sect.

Although the Sacred Heaven Sect had fallen from grace, it still valued its reputation.

He lowered his voice, his tone somewhat stiff.

“Fellow Daoist Meng, family scandals should not be aired in public.”

“If this boy has done anything offensive, I will personally handle it after we see the Sect Master and give Your Excellency an explanation.”

In his eyes, Su Ming was likely a lowlife who had sneaked into the Sect or someone hiding their identity with ill intent.

“Handle it?”

Meng Ling stopped laughing and waved her hand.

“No need. Bring him along and let's go see your Sect Master together.”

“His appearance here is definitely not without reason.”

The Grand Elder froze in place, even suspecting he had misheard.

Allowing an Immortal Lord First Heaven Disciple to participate in a meeting of this level?

What kind of status did the Sacred Heaven Sect Master have? Was he someone just anyone could see?

If word of this got out, where would the Sect's face be?

“This... Fellow Daoist Meng, I'm afraid this move is inappropriate.”

“His cultivation is shallow and his status is low; he is likely not qualified to meet the Sect Master.”

The Grand Elder was still trying to decline politely.

Meng Ling interrupted directly, her tone returning to its previous coldness.

“Rest assured, he is no outsider. He is from the Immortal Sword Manor.”

“Immortal Sword Manor?”

The Grand Elder's heart jolted, and his originally tensed back relaxed slightly.

As the Sacred Heaven Sect had been on a downward slope these years, many forces had been looking for a chance to take a bite, openly or secretly.

What he feared most was recruiting a mole from another hostile Sect.

Since he was from the Immortal Sword Manor, the nature of the situation was completely different.

He looked at Su Ming again, his eyes filled with a touch of scrutiny.

He couldn't understand what kind of tricks this kid was playing.

Meng Ling had already taken the lead in walking towards the main hall, leaving behind a lingering voice.

“Let's go. I also want to hear how this Genius from the Immortal Sword Manor became a Disciple of the Sacred Heaven Sect.”

Su Ming stood in place, feeling the gazes of jealousy and doubt coming from all directions, and helplessly rubbed his nose.

It seemed that his days of keeping a low profile were completely over.

The Grand Elder turned around and beckoned to Su Ming, his tone complex.

“You, follow us.”

Feeling the murderous gazes of his fellow Disciples around him, Su Ming braved the immense pressure and walked out of the queue at a leisurely pace.

Under the jealous or shocked gazes of the Disciples, Su Ming steeled himself and followed.

The Grand Elder led the way in front, while Meng Ling deliberately slowed down by half a step.

Her beautiful eyes would occasionally sweep over Su Ming, making his back feel chills.

The three of them passed through winding corridors and finally stopped in front of an ancient-looking main hall.

Stepping into the hall, Su Ming keenly sensed a faint aura of decay.

This aura was extremely thin, yet it carried a sadness like a hero in his twilight years, completely out of place with this magnificent palace.

On the jade platform in the center of the hall sat an old man.

That was the Sacred Heaven Sect's pillar of support, the Saint Heaven Immortal Emperor.

Su Ming quietly activated his Divine Sense to scan him, and his heart couldn't help but sink.

This famous Immortal Emperor's current situation was even worse than the rumors.

His skin was withered, with folds piled together; his blood Qi, which should have been surging like a river, was now like a pool of stagnant water, about to dry up completely.

At this Realm, if one's blood Qi was exhausted and they could not achieve a Breakthrough, only death awaited.

Clearly, the Saint Heaven Immortal Emperor no longer even had the strength to maintain a youthful appearance, allowing the carving knife of time to ravage his face.

A Sect secret of this level was something a Disciple of Su Ming's rank would never have been qualified to see if not for Meng Ling's insistence.

“Sect Master.”

The Grand Elder stepped forward quickly and bowed to the jade platform, his voice very low for fear of disturbing this old man who was fighting against heaven for his life.

“The Fellow Daoist from the Tidal Pavilion has arrived.”

...