451: True Immortal Descends

"The five of you are exceptionally brilliant, rare in both ancient and modern times! I am Xuanji, the Dean of Dao Zang Academy."

"I have already prepared the finest cultivation chambers for you in the academy. They are perfect for stabilizing your Realms and comprehending the mysteries of the Holy Dao. Please, come with me."

"Thank you for your trouble, Dean. And thank you, Seniors."

Xiao Ruobai stepped forward and cupped his hands in a polite gesture, his demeanor composed.

His gaze calmly swept over the young Prodigies behind Immortal Master Xuanji, and he nodded slightly as a greeting.

Those individuals also nodded back in response.

"Good!"

Immortal Master Xuanji nodded with a smile and waved his sleeve. A brilliant auspicious cloud appeared out of thin air, lifting the five of them together.

"Everyone, please follow me into the academy!"

As the streak of light crossed the sky, Mo Yu's gaze pierced through the crowd to look at Wang Zhan in the center of the square, a flash of Battle Intent passing through his eyes.

Almost at the same time, Wang Zhan seemed to sense something and turned his head sharply. Two gazes, sharp as lightning, instantly collided with Mo Yu's from across the distance!

Wang Zhan was stunned at first, but then a wild and excited curve rose at the corners of his mouth.

Their gazes met and separated instantly, yet it felt as if invisible sparks had exploded in the air.

I'll wait for you to enter the academy in three days. I look forward to our battle!

Peace returned to the peak of Dao Yuan Mountain. Only the lingering, faint saintly pressure and heaven-and-earth Dao Rhyme remained, still telling the tale of the legend that had shaken all ages.

The many Prodigies at the foot of the mountain only now regained their senses from the apocalyptic scene of the Heavenly Tribulation.

The crowd did not disperse immediately; their eyes still fervently followed the figures that were gradually receding into the distance.

Jiang Ruofeng's gaze slowly swept over Ling Xi, Xiao Ruobai, and Fang Hanyu, finally pausing slightly on Wang Zhan as he made a calculation in his heart.

"After entering the academy, I should first have a battle with Wang Zhan to see exactly how much of a gap there is between us."

Both hailed from the Eastern Region and were once equally famous, but now a clear gap had been forced between them.

This thought stung slightly in his chest, then transformed into an even more calm and chilling fighting spirit.

His state of mind was a microcosm of the countless Prodigies at the foot of Dao Yuan Mountain.

Some felt their path to the Dao was bleak and were heartbroken, turning away in silence, their figures stretching long under the vast sunset.

Living in the same era and standing alongside such peerless figures brought immense pressure from looking up at their peers, but it was also a supreme Opportunity to temper oneself.

However, in the eyes of even more young Prodigies, an unprecedented fire was burning.

It was a fighting spirit that had been thoroughly ignited, and a hope for the road ahead that they finally saw clearly after the shock.

At this moment, everyone felt a sense of anticipation for the Admission Ceremony in three days that they had never felt before.

Meanwhile, the figures of Gu Changge and Xing Tianao quietly appeared on the inner side of the thick, crystalline world barrier of the Xuanhuang Great World, which flowed with a Chaos luster.

Standing here, even through the sturdy world barrier, Xing Tianao could vaguely feel a heart-palpitating sense of oppression coming from the Void Realm outside.

Gu Changge's gaze, however, had already penetrated the barrier, clearly seeing the scene outside the world.

The one in the black robe on the left, with a sinister face, was Zhao Gang. The person on the right had a restrained aura, with flame Dao patterns faintly circulating around him; he was Sun Yan.

Their Divine Senses were like an invisible net, repeatedly sweeping through that Void Realm. Their brows were slightly furrowed, having clearly been investigating for a while.

The Myriad Phenomenon Mirage Illusion Formation laid by Gu Changge was incredibly exquisite, disguising the Bronze Immortal Palace perfectly, even mimicking the operational Dao Rhyme of it absorbing the Origin to perfection.

However, while a Formation could simulate form, it could not create true Origin power out of thin air.

Under the careful perception of the two True Immortals, a flaw was eventually revealed.

"Something's not right!"

Zhao Gang's brows furrowed tightly, and his expression turned grim.

"The Immortal Palace is intact and the Formation is running, but the core Origin power is empty!"

This discovery caused both of their hearts to sink simultaneously.

"Xuan Yi is missing, the Origin has been cut off, yet an illusion Formation was left to deceive people..."

A fierce light flashed in Zhao Gang's eyes. "Did that fellow steal it himself, then set up a Formation to stall for time while he made his escape?"

"Not necessarily." Sun Yan slowly shook his head, his expression solemn.

"Xuan Yi may be greedy, but with his cultivation and courage,"

"he wouldn't have the guts to embezzle the Three Realms Origin supplied to the Immortal Realm, let alone defect."

"We both know the Palace Master's methods. I'm afraid this matter is of no small consequence."

His sharp gaze scanned the surrounding Void Realm as if searching for a hidden enemy.

"The Immortal Palace is intact, and the Formation's illusion is still being maintained. This doesn't look like a hasty defection; instead, it looks like someone deliberately set this up to cover something up."

"Perhaps another power has intervened?"

"For instance, someone from the Nether Abyss Ruins or the Ancient God Mausoleum, who are not on good terms with us, might have accidentally discovered this node."

"They could have secretly killed Xuan Yi and set up this Formation to deceive us, attempting to steal the Origin in secret, or perhaps they have even deeper designs?"

Their Divine Thoughts intertwined rapidly as they quickly exchanged opinions.

Inside the world barrier, Gu Changge took in their conversation and expressions.

Just then, a faint golden light flashed in Gu Changge's eyes as his Eye of Illusory Breaking was quietly activated.

In an instant, the protective immortal light and the aura-hiding secret techniques of the two True Immortals outside the world became useless before his eyes.

Name: Zhao Gang.

Affiliation: Fortune Immortal Palace.

Cultivation: True Immortal Realm, Ninth Heaven.

Name: Sun Yan.

Affiliation: Fortune Immortal Realm.

Cultivation: True Immortal Realm, Ninth Heaven.

Gu Changge withdrew his gaze.

"So they are just two at the Ninth Heaven of the True Immortal Realm."

"What?! The Ninth Heaven of the True Immortal Realm?!"

Although he was mentally prepared, when he heard the confirmation of the opponents' cultivation from Gu Changge's own mouth, Xing Tianao still shook violently and sucked in a cold breath!

They are truly Immortals!

Although Xing Tianao didn't know the division of Realms in the Immortal Realm, the single word 'Immortal' was enough to bring immense pressure.

These were True Immortals, and a deep anxiety swept through his mind like a tide.

Xuanhuang had just gained a new lease on life. Although the Origin had returned to its place, it was not yet stable, and the recovery of the Spiritual Veins had only just begun. There were very few Great Emperors who could stand on their own.

These two at the Ninth Heaven of the True Immortal Realm were by no means comparable to that previous Puppet.

They were true powerhouses of the Immortal Dao. With a casual gesture, they could stir the power of Chaos. Destroying a world would likely not take much effort at all.

Although his Lordship was strong, capable of reversing the world's decay and waving away an ancient evil Formation, could he really withstand the leap in life level that an 'Immortal' represented?

Xing Tianao's fingertips tightened slightly as countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

He had personally experienced the tyranny of the Immortal Dao Laws. That kind of power, which transcended this world, seemed naturally born with a pressure that could crush the mundane.

His Lordship's strength was unfathomable, but the chasm between an Immortal and a Great Emperor was a gap etched into the rules of heaven and earth. It was definitely not something that could be bridged by a simple stacking of power.

Was the newly-revived Xuanhuang about to face an extinction-level disaster once again?

Were those Spiritual Veins that had rekindled their vitality, those Cultivators who had seen hope, and those Prodigies who had yet to grow up all going to become fodder for the Immortal Realm again?

He refused to accept this!

A strong sense of indignation welled up in his heart, overriding the anxiety deep within.

He, Xing Tianao, had laid low for thousands of years and gone through life and death to achieve Nirvana and become an Emperor. It wasn't so he could watch Xuanhuang fall into the abyss again!

His Lordship had saved his life, helped him prove his Dao, and given him the responsibility of protecting this world.

The myriad spirits of Xuanhuang had endured eternal suffering and finally waited for the Opportunity to recover. It must not be cut short now!

So what if they were Immortals? So what if their life level was overwhelming?

There was no way back from today's matter. He could only fight to the death to protect Xuanhuang's glimmer of hope!