451: Chapter 451 The Transition Before the Conference

The sun was scorching, and the shadows on the bluestone road were so faint they seemed about to melt away.

A man leaned against a brick wall, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, clutching half a piece of hard, dry flatbread, chewing it listlessly.

Across the street, a few children huddled together, faces flushed as they argued over a straight tree branch; a cloud of dust rose as they jostled each other.

The sky suddenly dimmed, as if the sun had been obscured by something.

The man looked up, crumbs of bread stuck to his stubble, and muttered to himself.

"This damn weather, it was perfectly clear just a—"

He froze.

It wasn't dark clouds.

The thing was so low it nearly pressed against the eaves, spreading out in a black mass from the eastern horizon to the west. The light leaking through the gaps only added to a strange sense of oppression.

He squinted, finally making out the silhouette.

It was a flying boat—a flying boat used by Immortals!

One flying boat followed another, their keels a deep black, hulls carved with cloud patterns and crane silhouettes. Their banners hung motionless, yet they carried a natural downward-pressing Aura.

A massive Taiji Diagram was carved onto the bottom of the ships, slowly rolling over their heads as if the entire sky had become the carriage of some Immortal.

The man's knees hit the ground before his brain could even process the thought.

The flatbread rolled into the gutter by the wall, but he didn't reach for it.

With both hands supporting him on the ground, he slammed his forehead down repeatedly until blood seeped from his brow, his mouth repeating a single phrase.

"Immortals protect us... Immortals protect us..."

At the other end of the street, a woman grabbed a child by the back of the collar and forced them to kneel like a small chick.

The child, who had been rowdy just moments ago, had their face pressed against the ground. Their eyes were red-rimmed, but they didn't dare make a sound.

The tree branch lay lonely in the middle of the street, no longer contested.

The entire street seemed pinned down by an invisible hand.

No one dared look up, no one dared speak; there were only bent backs, bowing down like a silent wave.

The fleet crossed the territory, blotting out the sun. The shadows moved slowly, like a giant blade being dragged across the city.

Until the shadow of the last flying boat vanished into the western horizon and the sunlight returned, the man remained prostrate on the ground, his whole body shaking like a leaf.

Within the fleet, upon the largest flying boat at the center.

Zhou Yan sat high in the main seat, chin resting on one hand, listening to Zhang Mingyuan's introduction of the Heaven-Kowt Platform.

However, his mind wasn't on Zhang Mingyuan. After all, his trip to the Heaven-Kowt Platform was purely due to Zheng Dafu's meddling.

His head was currently filled with thoughts of how to escape; he had no time to learn about these things.

But at that moment, Zhou Yan's nostrils flared. His Soul Transformation Stage senses allowed him to catch a familiar scent.

Under the analysis of the Law of Consumption, he instantly locked onto the target.

There was something in the cabin below the flying boat.

Zhang Mingyuan was explaining various precautions and the major powers that might attend this time.

But just as he was getting into it, he saw Zhou Yan's brows furrow tightly, as if he had smelled something foul.

"Old Ancestor, did I just make a slip of the tongue that displeased you?"

Hearing Zhang Mingyuan speak, Zhou Yan snapped back to his senses, but he asked with a somewhat displeased expression.

"It's not that. I just smelled a strange odor. Is there something beneath this cabin?"

Zhang Mingyuan was taken aback for a moment, then laughed heartily, stroking his beard as he spoke.

"Old Ancestor, you truly are a veteran Immortal to have smelled it so quickly."

"Indeed. Beneath the cabin is inscribed the mark of my Dao Sect. When we pass over Mortal towns and the Mortals see it, they will naturally kowtow and pray. Power Of Faith is thus born and gathered into the formation array beneath the cabin."

"Though our primary goal for this trip is the Heaven-Kowt Assembly, it is rare for so many members of the Dao Sect to be together. Harvesting some incense along the way is not a bad thing."

Zhang Mingyuan finished his explanation, but Zhou Yan's furrowed brows did not relax.

Because just now, he only thought the smell was familiar but strange, and he couldn't quite confirm it.

But now that the other party had admitted it was Power Of Faith, he was completely bewildered.

Although Zhou Yan didn't practice the Divine Path much and used most of his Divine Path resources to supply Qing Xuan and the others for their own use.

As the main god, no matter how much incense there was, he could always sense it immediately.

The incense from Taiyi City always carried a sense of vigorous upward drive, hope, and happiness.

But through the analysis of the Aura beneath the cabin, Zhou Yan only smelled one sensation.

And that was awe and fear.

Just by analyzing this sensation, Zhou Yan could roughly guess what was happening below the flying boat.

No wonder these guys flew their boats so low; they were waiting for this.

"If you'll excuse my bluntness, this incense can hardly be called a good thing."

Zhang Mingyuan's smile stiffened, and he said with some embarrassment.

"I almost forgot. Old Ancestor, you were a City God of the previous dynasty and enjoyed the incense of that era, which was the peak of the Immortals."

"But, there is no other way."

Zhang Mingyuan spread his hands and shook his head with a bitter expression.

"The path to immortality is severed. Our best remaining method of cultivation is to practice the Divine Path and use faith to rapidly increase our cultivation."

"But without the help of the Immortal Realm, there are no better ways to collect incense."

"We also wish we could be like the beginning, where the Dao and Buddhist Sects benefited the world together to obtain pure incense."

"But as you have seen, Old Ancestor, under the oppression of the Imperial Dynasty, we have been reduced to seeking refuge in a corner. If it weren't for the Great Liang Dynasty—the power used to monitor us—having already befriended us, it would be difficult for us to even collect incense this way."

"Not to mention there are many wolves and little meat. Some things simply must be done. I hope you can understand, Old Ancestor."

Zhou Yan swept his Divine Sense and saw that indeed, all the nearby flying boats were doing the same. Moreover, not a single person felt angry or displeased because of it; instead, they were all enjoying it, some even looking greedy.

Good grief, what would be considered the methods of a demonic sect in the future is actually the norm now?

This world really is doomed sooner or later.

Since things were like this, Zhou Yan stopped caring. He closed his eyes as if falling into a slumber.

"Call me when we arrive. I'm a bit tired from my secluded cultivation; I'll rest for a while."

Seeing this, Zhang Mingyuan did not disturb him. He casually dismissed the Disciples, rose to bow, and then left the main hall of the flying boat, leaving Zhou Yan alone.

Only after the door closed did Zhang Mingyuan curl his lip.

Enjoying the incense of two Immortal positions all by yourself, yet you act all high and mighty. In the past, people like you were the ones I looked down on most.

Of course, these words couldn't be said aloud. After all, everyone had a mutual understanding; speaking it plainly would only make things unpleasant.

At the same time, he became even more convinced that Zhou Yan was undoubtedly an Immortal.

Ordinary cultivators would feel greed upon seeing incense, and even those who collected pure incense would be the same when seeing such a vast amount.

Only someone who had truly seen vast amounts of pure incense could be so indifferent to this, or even somewhat disgusted by it.

Pure incense... this old Daoist would like to try it too. If not for the circumstances, who would want this junk?

After his musings, Zhang Mingyuan walked with his hands behind his back toward the side hall, but before leaving, he cast an inadvertent glance toward a corner.

It seems this Heaven-Kowt Assembly will be quite lively. Is the Yao Race about to make a move?

Once Zhang Mingyuan was far away, Zheng Dafu cautiously stepped out from the shadows.

As expected of Brother Ao. It seems the probing after his secluded cultivation has been successfully bypassed. This way, there shouldn't be any more probing before the assembly.

Unfortunately, that old fellow is still on the boat, making it difficult to talk in detail with Brother Ao.

It seems I can only tell him about the Special Envoy's arrival once we reach the Heaven-Kowt Platform.

A small Daoist boy passed by and saw Zheng Dafu staring at the main gate without entering. He approached and asked.

"Grandmaster, what are you doing here? Are you going to see the Sect Master?"

Zheng Dafu didn't say much. He turned to leave in another direction while saying to him.

"The Sect Master has already gone to the side hall. The Old Ancestor is resting in the main hall now. Pass down the word: do not disturb him further."

"Also, the Old Ancestor is clearly exhausted and surely doesn't want a long journey. In a moment, go and urge them to pick up the pace. Collecting incense is fine, but it can wait until the return trip. Must not tire the Old Ancestor."

"Yes."

The small Daoist boy bowed. By the time he looked up, Zheng Dafu was already far away.

But he didn't leave immediately; instead, he looked toward the main gate beside him.

Does an Immortal truly still exist in the Mortal world?

A flash of brilliance crossed the boy's eyes for an instant before vanishing. He then seemed to fall into a sudden daze, not quite understanding what had happened.

"Oh, why am I here?"

"Oh, right, right. Grandmaster told me to notify the Disciples. The Sect Master also wants to check my lessons."

The boy bit his thumb, a look of distress on his face.

"Which one should I go to first? Forget it, Grandmaster is so scary, I'd better go give the orders first."

After muttering to himself, the small Daoist boy also turned and left.

Inside the main hall, Zhou Yan suddenly snapped his eyes open.

"The Thick Earth Harmonizing Pivot Method... so that's how it is."

"Now I know how to break this deadlock."

"This is truly getting more and more lively."