25: Chapter 25 Immortal Conference

The light of their escape technique dissipated in mid-air, and Qian Zhenzhen and Luo Qingqian fell outside the gate of the Secret Realm.

After rolling twice, Luo Qingqian propped herself up with her arms, lifting her head with difficulty, her gaze locked firmly onto the Secret Realm gate.

But all she could see was the gate closing completely; as the rules of heaven and earth reinforced it, there was no longer any possibility of it opening again.

Luo Qingqian covered her face with both hands and knelt down, her voice choked with sobs.

"No..."

Her knees gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, hands covering her cheeks, suppressed, trembling sobs spilling from between her fingers.

"Why... why did it end up like this..."

Hot tears fell continuously, blurring her vision.

Through the hazy tears, she caught a glimpse of Qian Zhenzhen, whose figure looked dejected not far away.

Suddenly, a nameless anger surged in Luo Qingqian's heart, and she clenched her fingers, her nails digging deep into her palms.

If not for Qian Zhenzhen joining midway, Li Fan would have been able to escape the Secret Realm with her.

Luo Qingqian forced herself to stand up, about to speak and cast blame.

But the words died in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single syllable.

The next moment, Luo Qingqian's tense fists slowly relaxed, and she suddenly realized something.

"Actually, there is no difference between me and Qian Zhenzhen."

From the moment she stepped into the Zhongmen Secret Realm, whether it was snatching points from the Xuanxing Department Cultivators or evading the pursuit of the Winged Clan.

From beginning to end, she had been blindly relying on Li Fan.

Even though she possessed the Dragon-Elephant aptitude that others envied, and was born with exceptional talent, she had always held herself in high regard, living life at her own leisure.

This was already the second time she had survived a desperate situation only by relying on Li Fan's protection.

"Luo Qingqian, do you even deserve to be called a Dragon-Elephant talent?"

Her eyes dimmed, filled with self-mockery.

Regret surged in her heart.

"If only I had been able to reach a Breakthrough in Qi Refining back then, and possessed the same strength as Brother Fan..."

Thinking this, her relaxed hands clenched tightly once more, and blood dripped down her knuckles.

After a long while.

She finally raised her hand to wipe away the tear stains on her face, leaving only cold determination in her eyes.

Without another word, she turned and left in silence.

Qian Zhenzhen knelt where she was, watching Luo Qingqian's departing figure, and finally understood in her heart.

Previously, her pestering of Li Fan was half willful stubbornness, and half a way to resist the fate imposed by her Family, using Li Fan as an excuse to break free from her shackles.

But in the Secret Realm, that young figure who had raised his hand to push her and Luo Qingqian out of the desperate situation, facing the Golden Core Winged Clan member alone.

Was deeply branded in her mind, impossible to shake off.

The wind brushed past her hair, and she whispered softly, her tone extremely serious:

"Li Fan, if we can meet again..."

High above, the solemn voice of a Nascent Soul Cultivator resounded throughout the entire region.

"This year's school examination is officially concluded. The rankings are set and permanently sealed."

"At midnight tomorrow, the registration channels for all major universities will open."

The advancement process of the Xuannü Civilization was crisp and efficient.

The day after the school examination ended, one could submit their preferences; on the third day, enrollment would be confirmed, and one week later, classes would begin uniformly.

The path of cultivation never allows for idle time, let alone comfort or tenderness.

...

Meanwhile, inside the Zhongmen Secret Realm.

The grayish-white light emitted by the Zhongmen Key grew increasingly dazzling, passing through all things and dyeing everything gray and white.

Li Fan's body, lying in a pool of blood, was gradually recovering, but he was still extremely weak, lacking even the strength to lift his hand.

The dao sword had already fused with his body; he did not know what effect this would have on his Physique.

He could only lie flat on the ground, watching the strange changes occurring on the towering tree branches.

The sky was deathly pale.

The next second, as if outlined by ink, countless black and white intertwined portals formed out of thin air.

They were of varying sizes, dense and numerous, neatly arranged across the vast sky.

Until the final portal took shape, the portals filling the sky opened simultaneously.

Pure and majestic Spiritual Qi gushed out, a torrent sweeping across heaven and earth.

And the next moment, the gushing Spiritual Qi surged back in reverse.

All the portals were like the gaping maws of an abyss, frantically absorbing the living beings in heaven and earth.

Li Fan was no exception.

...

Far beyond the galaxy, in Zhonghuang Heaven.

In the Eternal Star Sea, at the Yongri Imperial Palace, on the Divine Martial Plaza.

A distant and resonant bell toll echoed throughout the entire Star Domain.

Subsequently, a supreme divine decree echoed between heaven and earth:

"The three keys have manifested; the time has come."

"After ten thousand years of silence, the Immortal Dao Assembly opens once again."

On the grand and vast Divine Martial Plaza, all the Princes and Princesses of the Yongri Imperial Court were assembled.

They were dressed in opulent and luxurious attire, their postures upright, their expressions solemn, all of them looking up toward the very top.

There, the Imperial Throne stood suspended in mid-air, possessing vast imperial might.

But the divine decree just now had come from a low-key figure beside the Imperial Throne.

That person's gaze narrowed slightly, and the space ten thousand miles above the Divine Martial Plaza shattered accordingly.

An ancient and mysterious Secret Realm was forcibly dragged into existence, despite the suppression of the rules of the Heavenly Dao.

Such Heaven-Defying means inspired awe in all.

Below the plaza, the Princes and Princesses remained calm.

One of them, whose aura was as deep as the sea, slowly stood up.

"The Haoque Secret Realm has finally appeared."

He gave his wide sleeve a gentle flick, and a key emitting a cold, grayish-white light flew through the air.

The Heaven Key.

Seeing the black and white portals filling the sky, the supreme divine decree announced.

"All who possess the assembly guide may enter."

"The Immortal Dao Assembly holds uncertain Opportunities. Heaven-Defying changes of fate, ascending to the heavens in a single step—all are possible."

As the words fell, the Princes and Princesses were the first to move, each using mysterious movement techniques to step into the portals.

Following closely behind, countless Cultivators from all directions took to the sky, rushing toward the Secret Realm.

Meanwhile, inside a side hall of the Yongri Imperial Palace.

A stunningly beautiful woman lay on a jade bed, her aura withered.

A maid hurried to the bedside and reported in a low voice:

"Your Highness, all the Princes and Princesses have already entered the Haoque Secret Realm to participate in the Immortal Dao Assembly."

Upon hearing this, the stunningly beautiful woman on the jade bed, with the help of the maid, forced her weak body to sit up slowly.

"Bring me the Secret Pill."

The maid looked hesitant and couldn't help but advise against it:

"Your Highness, entering in your current condition is extremely dangerous."

The woman only smiled bleakly upon hearing this:

"The Imperial Family is the most heartless of all. Once they return from the Secret Realm, it will also be the time of my death."

"My current state is all thanks to them. Entering this Secret Realm is my only turning point."

The maid remained silent for a moment, no longer trying to dissuade her, and turned to retrieve the pill.

...

The ink-colored portal opened, and the woman in palace attire stepped out slowly.

Despite her brocade and magnificent robes, they could not hide the pallor on her face.

Nangong Miao felt the cultivation base that had just been boosted by the Secret Pill being continuously suppressed by the rules of heaven and earth.

"As expected, just as the ancient texts recorded, it is suppressed to about the Foundation Establishment Realm."

A faint smile forced its way onto her haggard face. This was also the reason why she dared to come to the Immortal Dao Assembly to fight, even in such a poor state.

She looked up.

This place could be called a blessed land; the interior was naturally vast, yet it was filled with countless jade towers and pavilions.

These buildings were half-ethereal, half-real, scattered and interconnected, growing like trees and spreading into mid-air, with thick Spiritual Qi swirling between them, turning into faint white mist.

Nangong Miao walked slowly along the corridors between the buildings.

A solitary moon hung high in the night sky, casting down cold, silvery light.

The clear light penetrated the layers of transparent jade pavilions, falling upon her slender figure, the light and shadow hazy, making her look tragically and peerlessly beautiful.

She raised her hand, pushing open the doors of the buildings along the way one after another.

The rooms were empty, devoid of any furnishings or ornaments.

"I suppose my luck wouldn't be that good."

If any artifacts remained in the rooms, even if it were just an ordinary ornament, it would certainly be a priceless treasure in the outside world.

If she encountered a building with a door she couldn't push open, that would mean she had found one of the objectives of this trip.

Just as Nangong Miao opened another door, the portals of the surrounding buildings opened all at once.

Seeing this, Nangong Miao sighed inwardly that it was a bad sign; this was no blessed land Opportunity...

Before long, many figures flew out of the opened doors.

Nangong Miao hid in the shadow of a pillar and looked closely.

"Lingyuntian, Winged Clan Cultivators?"

The group of Winged Clan Cultivators had just landed and were still curiously observing their surroundings when, the next second, the spirit runes on the pavilions beneath their feet suddenly lit up.

Black and white lightning appeared suddenly, striking down with a roar.

The unprepared Winged Clan Cultivators didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly annihilated by the lightning, turning into flying ash that filled the sky.

Seeing this, Nangong Miao's expression remained calm.

"There are always such people who harbor lucky hopes; they dare to come in without an assembly guide."

Even the strongest among the Winged Clan only lasted a few breaths before the lightning pierced their hearts.

The spiritual light within their bodies dissipated, and they breathed their last.

"Entering the Dao cultivation... hard-won, yet ultimately wasted in vain."

Nangong Miao didn't care about the other lower-cultivation Winged Clan Cultivators.

Seeing a Cultivator of the same Realm as herself turn into flying ash so easily, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of melancholy.

She possessed the Bloodline of the Great Emperor, had noble aptitude, and was born a Nascent Soul Cultivator; now, she had reached the Dao Entry Realm.

In the eyes of outsiders, the Imperial Princess was incomparably noble and possessed overwhelming power.

But only she knew that within the Imperial Family, siblings slaughtered each other, and secret struggles never ceased.

At only eighteen, she had spent eighteen years struggling amidst endless schemes and calculations.

Now, suffering from severe injuries, she was already trapped in a dilemma.

Nangong Miao sighed softly, suppressing the thoughts in her heart, and continued along the corridor toward the next pavilion.

Just as she raised her hand to push the door, the door suddenly opened outward.

She sighed inwardly that it was a bad sign, and just as she was about to dodge, a young man covered in blood flew out from the door and collided into her embrace.