359: Upon entering the city, their first encounter...

Qing Xuzi's invitation carried a warmth that was just right.

It contained both respect for a powerful individual and the confidence and assurance of an Elder from a first-rate Sect in the Eastern Region.

Shen Yuanmo offered no comment on this.

He merely gave a calm, slight nod.

The next instant, his figure faded away where he stood.

There were no earth-shattering Spiritual Qi fluctuations, no blinding flashes of light tearing through space, and not even a hint of breeze was stirred up.

He simply vanished into thin air.

It was as if what had stood there before was merely an illusory reflection.

Qing Xuzi’s eyes, deep as ancient wells, suddenly contracted to pinpricks!

The conjecture in his heart nearly burst forth from his body!

This was definitely not an ordinary Displacement Technique!

This was a Divine Ability that could only be deployed after one's comprehension of the Space Law had reached the Transcendent realm!

Before he could recover from this shock,

Shen Yuanmo’s figure had already appeared at the bow of the White Jade Pagoda Ship.

Soundlessly, like a phantom.

Following him were the Yun Family father and daughter, who had already been left somewhat dazed in their Divine Souls by the series of sudden changes.

A look of confusion still lingered on their faces.

Clearly, they hadn't even noticed how they had moved.

“Fellow Daoist... please!”

Qing Xuzi's mind was greatly shaken, and the smile on his face became even more humble and respectful.

He dared not show the slightest neglect, quickly bowed, stepped aside, and made a gesture of invitation, personally leading the way for Shen Yuanmo.

Inside the Pagoda Ship, there was a world of its own.

Stepping inside, the surrounding scenery shifted rapidly.

The clamor and noise of the outside world were instantly isolated.

A surge of Spiritual Qi, so dense it was nearly tangible, rushed toward them, soaking into every pore and making the entire body feel comfortable.

Before their eyes was actually a self-contained Small World.

Pavilions and towers, carved beams and painted rafters, were all constructed from rare Spirit Wood and jade, inscribed with Spirit Gathering and defensive array patterns that continuously absorbed the essence of heaven and earth.

Rock gardens and running water were scattered tastefully; what flowed gently was not ordinary water, but Spirit Liquid formed from liquefied Spiritual Qi.

What a grand gesture.

Even Shen Yuanmo couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration in his heart.

The Pagoda Ship itself was an extremely high-grade Space Magic Treasure.

Its value was probably enough to completely drain the entire resources of a third-rate Sect.

As expected of a first-rate Sect whose Legacy dates back to antiquity, its resources were truly extraordinary.

Aside from Qing Xuzi, there were several young men and women on the Pagoda Ship wearing similar Robes of Ten Thousand Stars.

Each of them possessed long, steady Qi and restrained Divine Light, and their eyes carried the arrogance belonging to favored children of heaven.

Clearly, these were the Geniuses of the Sect whom Qing Xuzi had brought to participate in the Ascension Conference.

When they saw their esteemed and highly cultivated Elder Clear Void,

treating a young man in green robes who looked even younger than them with such respect, even personally leading the way for him—

undisguised curiosity and scrutiny appeared on everyone's faces.

Several arrogant Disciples exchanged glances and almost simultaneously activated their Divine Sense.

Invisible Mental Energy transformed into several subtle tentacles, silently probing toward Shen Yuanmo.

They wanted to see who exactly this person was.

However.

The instant their Divine Sense touched the surface of Shen Yuanmo's body,

it was like moths flying into an all-consuming black hole, or ice and snow falling into boiling magma.

Not a single ripple was stirred up.

A vast power, indescribable and incomprehensible by ordinary standards, instantly devoured, annihilated, and completely dissipated their Divine Sense!

“Hm?!”

Those Genius Disciples trembled violently, and their faces instantly turned deathly pale.

A terrifyingly powerful backlash surged back violently along the connection between them and their Divine Sense!

Pfft!

One of the Disciples with slightly weaker cultivation immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, staggered back several steps as if struck by lightning, and his eyes instantly dimmed.

The others fared no better.

They all couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, feeling as if their Divine Soul had been fiercely struck by an invisible giant hammer!

Intense pain assaulted them, golden stars burst before their eyes, and their heads felt like they were about to split open right there!

The way they looked at Shen Yuanmo changed instantly!

Their previous curiosity, scrutiny, and defiance all turned into deep, bone-chilling terror and dread!

What was that?

When their Divine Sense probed him, what they saw was not a barrier of cultivation, nor an ocean of Spiritual Qi.

Instead, it was an endless, silent, Chaos Void Realm!

It was as if that young body contained a Universe on the verge of returning to silence!

Monster!

What kind of monster was this?!

Qing Xuzi took all of this in.

He subtly glanced out of the corner of his eye at those few Disciples who didn't know their place.

The look was cold and carried a hint of warning.

The Disciples immediately became silent with fear, quickly lowered their heads, and dared not make any further movements.

Only then did Qing Xuzi withdraw his gaze and lead Shen Yuanmo into a quiet room, elegantly decorated and permeated with a faint calming sandalwood fragrance.

He personally held the pot and poured Shen Yuanmo a cup of fragrant tea brewed from the tender leaves of a thousand-year-old Enlightenment Tea Tree.

The tea liquid was emerald green, and the steaming vapor formed profound runes that spiraled upward before slowly dissipating.

“Fellow Daoist looks very unfamiliar; you don't seem to be from the Eastern Region.”

Qing Xuzi set down the jade pot and spoke tentatively, breaking the silence in the quiet room.

“May I ask where your immortal home is? And who is your master?”

“A Loose Cultivator, coming from overseas. Nothing worth mentioning.”

Shen Yuanmo picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

The warm tea slid down his throat, turning into a cool current of Qi that rushed straight to his Divine Soul, invigorating his Mental Energy, which had been slightly fatigued from deduction.

His reply was calm, indifferent, and flawless.

Yet, it carried an invisible detachment that left Qing Xuzi, who had intended to dig further into his background, momentarily unsure how to respond.

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

Qing Xuzi gave a dry laugh and very naturally shifted the topic to the upcoming Ascension Conference.

He spoke of several peerless Geniuses who had recently risen to fame in the Eastern Region, his words full of praise.

Then, inadvertently, he revealed to Shen Yuanmo that the Wanfa Immortal Sect welcomed all talents and was eager for capable individuals, especially strong Loose Cultivators like Shen Yuanmo, whose strength was unfathomable.

He even hinted that if Shen Yuanmo was willing, he could use his authority to directly recommend Shen Yuanmo to become a Guest Elder of the Wanfa Immortal Sect.

His status would be exactly the same as his own, a genuine Void Returning Great Expert Elder.

Faced with this temptation, which could be called a path to instant success, Shen Yuanmo simply listened quietly, his expression unchanged.

He neither agreed nor refused.

Just as the host and guest were chatting happily in the quiet room, and the atmosphere was just right,

Suddenly!

A cold snort came from outside the Pagoda Ship without warning!

The sound seemed not to travel through the air, but to explode directly within the depths of everyone's Divine Soul!

“Qing Xuzi, the Wanfa Immortal Sect's arrogance is truly growing!”

The voice was icy cold and filled with endless killing intent.

Every word was like profound ice that could freeze ten thousand things, threatening to instantly crack a person's Divine Soul!

Before the voice had faded!

Tear—!

A terrifying Sword Intent, sharp to the extreme, tore through the firmament and violently slashed down from the Nine Heavens!

The Sword Intent was formless, yet undeniably real!

It ignored the powerful defensive Restriction of the White Jade Pagoda Ship, penetrated layers of space, and its target was clearly Qing Xuzi inside the quiet room!

That will, pure to the extreme and seemingly born for slaughter, had already reached the Void Returning realm!

“Hm?!”

Qing Xuzi's expression changed abruptly!

He violently flicked the White Jade Horsetail Whisk in his hand toward the sky!

“Buzz!”

The three thousand silver strands of the whisk instantly straightened, and billions of profound Dao Rhyme runes lit up on them!

The three thousand silver strands transformed into three thousand Chains of Order intertwined with the Laws of Heaven and Earth!

The Divine Chains crisscrossed, instantly forming a Heavenly Net of Law in mid-air that covered the entire quiet room!

Clang!!

The instant that terrifying, indestructible Sword Intent struck the Great Net of Law, it erupted with a metallic clash loud enough to pierce eardrums!

Terrifying energy ripples exploded violently within the quiet room!

But they were all blocked by that seemingly fragile Heavenly Net of Law!

Qing Xuzi slowly stood up.

The gentle, immortal-like smile on his face was long gone, replaced by solemnity and gloom.

He took a step, and his figure instantly appeared at the bow of the ship.

He looked up.

Not far away, a menacing flying boat, entirely dark gold and shaped like a colossal ancient sword magnified millions of times, had silently appeared in the Void Realm.

At the bow of the flying boat, a middle-aged man in black robes, carrying an ancient sheathed sword on his back, was coldly watching them.

His gaze was so sharp it seemed inhuman, and his entire body exuded a bone-chilling coldness that warned others to keep away.

“Sword Dust Master!”

Qing Xuzi looked at the black-robed middle-aged man, his brows tightly furrowed.

“Your Taiyi Sword Sect is as domineering as ever!”

“What is the meaning of attacking with swords the moment you arrive?!”

Taiyi Sword Sect!

Inside the cabin, the moment Yun Tianhe heard that name, his heart fiercely constricted once more!

The number one Sword Cultivator Sect in the Eastern Region!

A colossal entity, equally famous as the Wanfa Immortal Sect and shaking the entire Eastern Region with its might!

The black-robed middle-aged man named Sword Dust Master heard this and curved his lips into a cold arc.

His gaze did not linger on Qing Xuzi for even a moment.

He bypassed this Void Returning Great Expert of the Wanfa Immortal Sect, his eyes locking onto Shen Yuanmo, who was seated in the quiet room, like two drawn Divine Swords.

A bone-chilling, utterly undisguised, terrifying killing intent erupted from his body!

He spoke slowly, word by word, in a frigid tone, as if passing judgment on a death row inmate.

“I am not here for you!”

“I am here for him!”

“Just now, he crippled the descendant of one of my Taiyi Sword Sect's True Disciples!”