468: Ji Xinghe

The moment Xu Qing stepped into the capital of Zhu Xi Ancient Kingdom, a majestic Dragon Qi of the imperial Dao descended from the sky. The grand Formation of the entire city trembled slightly, as if announcing the arrival of an important person.

The Grand Elder of the Sacred Hall had personally arrived; how could the imperial family not know?

The Void Realm before them rippled like water, and a figure stepped out.

The newcomer wore a purple-gold royal robe, a star crown on his head, and a dignified yet refined countenance. A faint aura of a Dominator lingered around him, revealing him to be a Half-Ancestor Realm powerhouse!

"I am Ji Xinghe. Greetings, Dao Friend Xu!"

The elder bowed with cupped hands, his voice as warm and smooth as jade, yet containing an undeniable hint of authority.

His gaze scrutinized Xu Qing, and seeing Xu Qing's return to simplicity, his heart couldn't help but be startled.

Returning to simplicity could also be achieved by low-Realm Martial Artists, but it depended on who they were facing. For Xu Qing to be able to do so in front of him clearly meant he had reached an extremely high Realm.

Considering the other party's age, he already harbored intentions of befriending him.

Xu Qing's gaze flickered, and he immediately returned the bow: "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Ji."

Indeed, the imperial family of this Zhu Xi Ancient Kingdom bore the surname Ji, and they, along with Ji Changge, belonged to the Human Race Imperial Family, the Ji Clan. The progenitor of the Ji Clan was the Heavenly Sovereign.

This Ji Xinghe before him was a prince of the Zhu Xi Ancient Kingdom, with Half-Ancestor cultivation. If calculated by seniority, he could be considered the great-grand-ancestor of the current Emperor of Zhu Xi.

The other party was also a Grand Elder of the Sacred Hall; the Grand Elder tokens hanging from their waists were now subtly resonating, emitting a faint golden light.

"Dao Friend Xu, please!"

Ji Xinghe waved his sleeve, and nine celestial deer, translucent like Colored Glaze, stepped through the Void Realm, pulling a jade carriage inscribed with the Stars of the Heavens, stopping before the two.

These celestial deer all exuded an Immortal Monarch Grade aura, with Chaos starlight entwined around their antlers. With each step, star phantoms bloomed from their hooves.

Xu Qing silently mused that although the Xu Family had risen, there was still a considerable gap compared to ancient clans with Legacies spanning countless epochs.

After boarding the royal carriage, its interior surprisingly formed a small separate heaven and earth. Flowing star maps appeared on the four walls, and several plates of spiritual fruits were placed on the jade table, each containing rich fragments of the Great Dao. Ji Xinghe personally poured a cup of tea; as the tea's aroma rose, it transformed into a miniature galaxy swirling at the rim of the cup.

"Dao Friend Xu Qing," Ji Xinghe suddenly spoke, his gaze like a torch, "To my knowledge, your main body should currently be in secluded cultivation, and your Dao body should still be in the teleportation passage. Why..."

He paused, a hint of scrutiny entering his tone: "If the Grand Elder token couldn't be faked, I would even suspect you were a Chaos alien impersonating him."

The atmosphere within the carriage suddenly tensed.

Xu Qing's expression remained unchanged. He lightly sipped the star tea and chuckled, "I have an old acquaintance with the Lord of Stars and Moon; she brought me here."

He spoke lightly, as his relationship with the Ancient Heavenly Court lineage was no longer a secret, so he might as well leverage it.

As for the other party seeking verification? They clearly wouldn't, as Xu Qing was a Grand Elder of the Sacred Hall, after all.

The distance from the Ancient Land of Dao to Zhu Xi Ancient Star was indeed long, but it depended on who was traveling.

For ordinary Dao Ancestors, this distance would only take a few months to reach, while for figures like the Nine Heavens, it wouldn't even require a month.

"So that's it!"

Indeed, a flicker of understanding passed through Ji Xinghe's eyes.

Xu Qing's acquaintance with the Lord of Stars and Moon was not a secret among the high-ranking members of the Sacred Hall.

And the Lord of Stars and Moon was one of the Heavenly Hall Old Ancestors, and behind her was also a connection to the legendary Nine Heavens. Such figures were extremely wary even by the Sacred Hall.

"So that's it." Ji Xinghe's attitude noticeably softened. "I wonder about the Lord of Stars and Moon..."

"Senior needs to guard the Star Moon Grotto-heaven," Xu Qing calmly interjected, "After sending me off, she immediately returned to the Dao Realm."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xinghe completely believed him. As a Grand Elder of the Sacred Hall, he naturally knew what was in the Star Moon Grotto-heaven. The fact that Xu Qing knew even this indicated that his relationship with the Heavenly Hall was far from ordinary.

"Hahaha, it's just my duty, please bear with me, Dao Friend Xu!" Ji Xinghe laughed heartily, his last trace of doubt completely vanishing.

"As fellow Human Race, I understand!" Xu Qing said with a smile.

Ji Xinghe stroked his beard and chuckled, "Dao Friend Xu, the fleet still needs half a month. During this half month, let our Zhu Xi imperial family host you well!"

"Then I shall trouble Fellow Daoist!"

The royal carriage swept over the imperial city. The clouds outside the glazed windows were stained a brilliant golden-red by the hoof prints of the celestial deer.

Ji Xinghe gently stroked his long beard, his gaze passing through the window frame to overlook the continuous palaces and pavilions stretching for ten thousand miles below. He suddenly spoke, "Dao Friend Xu, what do you think of the grandeur of my Zhu Xi Ancient Kingdom?"

Xu Qing followed his gaze and saw that the imperial city's architectural complex perfectly aligned with the arrangement of the Stars of the Heavens. On three hundred and sixty towering divine mountains, stargazing platforms were built, inscribed with Formation patterns that condensed starlight, weaving a brilliant star net in the sky above the imperial city.

"What a magnificent Formation!" Xu Qing lightly tapped the jade table with his fingertip. "With the Stars of the Heavens Grand Formation as its skeleton and the Human Race Emperor's Luck as its pulse, this imperial city itself is probably a nation- trấn ancestral weapon, isn't it?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Ji Xinghe's eyes.

Ordinary Cultivators could at most discern the mysteries of the Formation, but it was difficult for them to perceive the hidden Human Race Emperor's secret techniques within.

He calmly refilled the star tea: "Fellow Daoist has a Wisdom Eye! When the progenitor personally laid out the star track, my lineage has nurtured it with our Bloodline for generations. Now, when this grand imperial city Formation is fully activated, it can withstand attacks from a four-step Dao Ancestor."

"Such a Legacy, the Xu Family is inferior!"

Xu Qing said with a smile.

The royal carriage did not head towards the magnificent imperial palace of the Zhu Xi Ancient Kingdom, but instead flew directly towards a suspended immortal island in the sky.

The immortal island was entirely cast from star profound jade, surrounded by nine brilliant star rings. Each star ring was composed of countless tiny star fragments, slowly rotating and scattering specks of starlight.

From afar, the entire immortal island seemed like a bright pearl embedded at the edge of the Eternal Night Star Ruins, forming a stark contrast with the darkness.

"Dao Friend Xu, please!" Ji Xinghe raised his hand with a smile.

The royal carriage passed through the star rings, and the scene before Xu Qing's eyes suddenly transformed. From the outside, it seemed like an ordinary immortal island, but the moment he stepped in, it felt as if he was in a vast galaxy!

There was no ceiling above, only the endless starry sky extending, with myriad stars hanging, some bright, some dim, some large, some small. Each one was incredibly real, exuding rich star power.

Beneath his feet was not solid ground, but a flowing mist of stars, creating ripples with each step, as if treading on the surface of a galaxy.

Several pavilions floated around, all forged from star essence gold. Intricate star patterns were entwined around the pillars, slowly moving as if alive.

Xu Qing sensed the Dao that Ji Xinghe cultivated within it.

This person had already walked the Grand Dao of Stars to the end of the Immortal Grade, and although still far from Ji Changge, he was much stronger than Ji Qianling.

The two walked through the star mist, along paths paved with star sand, each grain a miniature star; courtyards with the Milky Way as their pond, where spiritual fish formed from starlight swam; and a tea pavilion suspended beneath the Big Dipper, its stone table actually a complete "Chaos Star Tablet."

"Dao Friend Xu, what do you think of this place?" Ji Xinghe asked with a smile.

Xu Qing praised sincerely, "To incorporate the galaxy into a residence, and transform stars into scenery, Fellow Daoist's Dao is close to creation."

Ji Xinghe laughed heartily upon hearing this, and raised his hand to lead the way: "I hear Dao Friend Xu enjoys drinking, and my treasured 'Starlight Drunk' is no worse than 'Broad Cold Soul Drunk'. Today, Dao Friend can thoroughly sample it!"

Xu Qing's expression remained normal regarding everything in the mansion, but upon hearing this, he immediately became interested.

After all, how could a fine wine treasured by a Half-Ancestor be an ordinary item?