452: Go with the flow

"Heh heh! This Immortal Master and His Highness Ninth Prince have been acquainted for a long time!" Xiao Zhuo said with a half-smile.

Feng Changge heard Xiao Zhuo's pointed phrase, "acquainted for a long time," and his heart grew even more solemn, but the smile on his Face became even more humble: "Senior jests. To be thought of by Senior is truly Changge's greatest honor. Today, witnessing Senior's Divine Might, I finally realize that there are always those more skilled, and heavens beyond heavens. Previously, I was merely a frog at the bottom of a well."

Mo Xiu, standing beside him, saw this and his mouth twitched slightly.

"The Imperial Family's Face is indeed thick enough!"

However, he was merely a fortune-teller; once this matter was resolved, the subsequent events would be unrelated to him.

He did not want to get deeply entangled in the succession struggle.

It was still not too late to withdraw now.

So, he stood up and said to Feng Changge: "Your Highness, this old man has done all he can. I shall take my leave now. Please, Your Highness, do not forget the things you promised this old man!"

Having said that, he did not wait for Feng Changge's reply, but cupped his fists towards Xiao Zhuo from a distance, then transformed into a streak of light and disappeared.

Feng Changge couldn't gauge Xiao Zhuo's intentions, so he secretly winked at a Cultivator to his side who was wearing a bamboo hat Magical Artifact that concealed his aura.

That person removed his disguise, revealing a burly figure and a meticulously maintained, curly beard.

It was none other than Feng Changge's maternal grandfather, the current Patriarch of the Zhao Family of Thunder Mountain, Zhao Tingzhi.

Zhao Tingzhi understood, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said: "This old man is Zhao Tingzhi. I have long admired Fellow Daoist's demeanor. Fellow Daoist's Divine Ability is unparalleled; to so effortlessly transform a Heavenly Tribulation for your own use is truly astonishing. My respects, my respects!" His voice was loud, carrying a natural air of boldness. Though it was flattery, it did not seem obsequious, fully displaying the bearing of a regional hegemon.

Xiao Zhuo's gaze swept over Zhao Tingzhi and he nodded slightly: "So it is Patriarch Zhao of Thunder Mountain. I have heard much about your esteemed name. A mere trivial skill, not worth mentioning."

His tone was calm, as if devouring the Heavenly Tribulation just now was truly effortless.

Just then, two powerful auras approached from afar. They were two Quasi-Immortals who had not yet left, arriving together and descending towards the mountain Peak where Xiao Zhuo was located.

One of them wore a green robe and had a lean, refined Face. He was Immortal Master Yunlan, the Grand Elder of the top Sect "Azure Mist Sect" near Wind Capital.

The other wore luxurious clothes, was slightly plump, and had a jovial smile. He was Zhang Duobao, the Grand Elder of another great Sect, "Treasure Artifact Sect."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist!" Immortal Master Yunlan spoke first, his voice gentle, "Fellow Daoist is unfamiliar, yet you have astonished us, opening our eyes. This humble Daoist is Yunlan, and this is Fellow Daoist Duobao. May we have the honor of befriending Fellow Daoist?"

Zhang Duobao added with a smile: "Precisely, precisely! Fellow Daoist, upon your first appearance, you accomplished such a magnificent feat. This is truly an unprecedented event in our Great Feng Emperor Dynasty... no, in our entire Nirvana Realm, for thousands of years! We two are filled with admiration and have specially come to pay our respects, with no other intentions."

As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily glanced at Xiao Zhuo's hand, which had just collected the Tribulation Lightning Orb, clearly very curious about the bead that had condensed the power of the Heavenly Tribulation.

Xiao Zhuo knew perfectly well that these two had come primarily to make acquaintances and probe his background, and might not harbor much ill will.

He still knew very little about this realm and also needed some channels for information, so he smiled faintly: "Both Fellow Daoists are too polite. I am Xiao Zhuo, a Loose Cultivator, who merely had some fortuitous gains. It is also my good fortune to meet you two today."

His attitude was neither cold nor warm, giving them Face while maintaining his distance.

Immortal Master Yunlan and Zhang Duobao were both shrewd individuals. Seeing that Xiao Zhuo seemed to have a prior connection with Prince Yus Mansion and had no intention of a deep conversation, they wisely did not press further. After exchanging a jade talisman token for remote contact, they politely bid farewell and departed.

Just as Xiao Zhuo was exchanging pleasantries with these two Quasi-Immortals, an extremely subtle, yet vast as a sea of stars, intention quietly descended, like a silent tide, attempting to gently touch the boundaries of Xiao Zhuo's perception.

This intention was incredibly powerful, far exceeding anyone present, carrying a majestic and domineering Imperial Might, yet it was restrained to the extreme. If not for Xiao Zhuo's Divine Sense having already reached the Immortal Realm, it would have been almost impossible to detect.

Xiao Zhuo's heart stirred, and he immediately understood—it was the Great Feng Emperor!

He had sensed this person's arrival earlier, but did not expect him to make a move to probe at this moment.

He did not turn his head to look, but his Divine Sense, like the sharpest blade, condensed into a beam and subtly met it.

There was no earth-shattering collision, only a brief and swift contact, probe, and assessment between two supreme intentions in the Void Realm.

In an instant, Xiao Zhuo perceived the vast Imperial Qi contained within the other party's intention. This person's Divine Thought strength had already reached the Peak of a Quasi-Immortal, but for him, it was negligible.

As for the Great Feng Emperor, it was as if he had crashed into a bottomless, time-distorting Chaos vortex, its profundity and strangeness completely immeasurable!

The single contact was as swift as lightning.

The next moment, that Imperial Might intention receded like a tide, disappearing without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

Xiao Zhuo's expression remained unchanged, but he already had an idea: "This Great Feng Emperor indeed has profound foundations, with half a foot already in the Immortal Realm, far stronger than the likes of Zhao Tingzhi. However, he is still merely a Quasi-Immortal after all!"

In the distant Void Realm, the Great Feng Emperor's figure trembled slightly, and a look of deep shock and apprehension flashed in his eyes. He muttered to himself: "What a strange Divine Thought... it seems capable of devouring everything and distorting space-time... and it already possesses an Immortal Qi! His strength is unfathomable, definitely not a newly advanced Quasi-Immortal! Thankfully, this person bears no ill will!"

With that thought settled, his aura completely vanished, and his figure disappeared.

In the field, only Xiao Zhuo was aware of that momentary probe.

No one else noticed.

He retracted his thoughts and looked back at Feng Changge and Zhao Tingzhi, seeing that they seemed completely oblivious to the undercurrent that had just occurred.

Feng Changge saw that Xiao Zhuo had dismissed the two Quasi-Immortals, and the timing was just right, so he quickly spoke again, his tone even more sincere: "Senior, this is not a place for conversation. This Junior has prepared a humble banquet at his mansion in the city. Might Senior grace us with your presence and move to discuss? This Junior has long admired Senior and has many matters I wish to consult Senior on."

He spoke beautifully, both extending an invitation and hinting that there were "matters" to discuss, naturally referring to the formation diagram.

Zhao Tingzhi also chimed in: "Indeed, Senior is new to Wind Capital, and we should fulfill our duties as hosts. Please, Senior, do us the honor."

Xiao Zhuo had always intended to make deeper contact and investigate whether the so-called "Heaven-Opening Inheritance" was in Feng Changge's hands, and whether it was truly related to a Saint. Now, seeing the other party proactively invite him, it was a perfect opportunity to go with the flow.

He feigned contemplation for a moment, then smiled faintly: "Very well. This Immortal Master also has some interest in the local customs here. Ninth Prince's kind invitation, this Immortal Master would be impolite to refuse."

Upon hearing this, Feng Changge was overjoyed, and a brilliant smile immediately bloomed on his Face. He quickly turned sideways and invited: "Senior, please board the carriage! Grandfather, you should also come onto the carriage!"

Zhao Tingzhi also laughed heartily: "That is only proper!"

Immediately, the three of them all boarded the carriage and took their seats. Feng Changge and Zhao Tingzhi conversed together, continuously probing Xiao Zhuo's background.

The Dragon carriage transformed into a streak of light, speeding towards Prince Yus Mansion in Wind Capital.