163: Chapter 163 Ten Thousand Immortals Pay Homage to the Mountain

Heaven-Reaching Tower, 4th Floor, Cloud Dream Fairyland.

The pink-purple sea of clouds surged and ebbed, undulating and rippling. The air was permeated with a warm, sweet fragrance.

On the edge of the rosy clouds, a few crystalline dewdrops condensed. Under the reflection of the rosy light, they shimmered with a pearl-like luster, slowly dripping down and merging into the deeper cloud wisps below.

At the edge of the churning, rouge-colored cloud mist, Lin Xiwei wore a moon-white shark-silk dress, pristine and immaculate. She had regained that cold, moon-like appearance, quietly gazing at the magnificent sea of clouds in the distance.

Here, the clear Dao laws of heaven and earth flowed like a babbling brook through Lin Xiwei's heart. Yet, a faint, lingering blush remained at the roots of her fair ears.

Ling Hao's figure appeared quietly beside her. His gaze swept over the blush at her ears, then glanced at the core area of the calm rosy clouds behind them, his tone teasing:

"It seems my Xiao Wei is the most capable of enduring tempering. Your four Senior Sisters... well, they are not quite up to it."

Hearing this, Lin Xiwei turned her jade-like neck slightly, avoiding Ling Hao's gaze, which carried a playful smile. It was as if she hadn't heard the tease, though the blush on her ears seemed to deepen by a fraction.

Suddenly, a communication jade talisman at Ling Hao's waist vibrated slightly. Chi Shuying's voice transmitted directly into his mind:

"Sect Master, the Wanxian Dynasty, a seventh-rank power of the Cangwu Kingdom, has sent Di Hongshen to visit the mountain with their Second Prince, Di Wenlong. They have already arrived at the mountain gate, stating they wish to discuss Southeast defense and matters of alliance."

Wanxian Dynasty?

Ling Hao frowned. He had little interest in such uninvited visits and was about to have Chi Shuying politely decline when a thought suddenly struck him!

He remembered that in the whispers following one of their intimate moments, his cold Fifth Disciple had once murmured that it was this very Wanxian Dynasty that had pursued and killed her in her previous life!

Ling Hao looked at Lin Xiwei.

"Xiao Wei."

Lin Xiwei turned her head at the sound, her cold eyes filled with inquiry.

"People from the Wanxian Dynasty have arrived." Ling Hao spoke concisely, his gaze profound. "Do you wish to accompany your Revered Master... to go and see them?"

Lin Xiwei's cold pupils constricted suddenly! Wanxian Dynasty! She nodded slightly:

"Yes, Revered Master."

Yingxia Peak, Guest Welcoming Hall.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was stagnant. The main seat was empty.

Sitting in the guest seat on the lower left was an old man wearing a dark gold auspicious cloud-patterned Daoist robe. His face was refined, his eyes seemingly peaceful but hiding deep brilliance.

Beside him sat the gorgeous brocade-robed youth who had appeared at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Moon-Embracing City. At this moment, he had restrained the impatience he showed at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and was waiting quietly.

Behind the two stood a man and a woman.

The man wore a purple brocade shirt, his face handsome to the point of being effeminate, his skin bearing a paleness from rarely seeing the sun. His narrow eyes were slightly upturned, carrying an indescribable evil aura.

The woman wore a gray gauze skirt, her makeup simple, with only a light dusting of powder on her face. However, her figure was enchanting; just standing there quietly, she exuded a seductive charm.

Light and shadow flickered at the hall entrance.

Ling Hao, dressed in black Sect Master robes, stepped into the hall with a composed gait. Lin Xiwei followed half a step behind him, cold as the moon, her moon-white shark-silk dress pristine and immaculate.

The moment Ling Hao and Lin Xiwei appeared, the two people standing behind Di Wenlong involuntarily cast their gazes onto Lin Xiwei.

That cold, otherworldly appearance and aloof temperament made a vague sense of familiarity arise in their hearts, as if they had seen her somewhere before.

But as they recalled carefully, the appearance and temperament of this Moonshadow Sect Disciple, while somewhat similar to the figure in their memories who had long since fallen, seemed completely different.

After a Samsara Body is reborn, both appearance and life aura change.

Gan Wenzhu and Fu Tiansong exchanged a glance, a trace of doubt flashing in their eyes.

Lin Xiwei's gaze calmly swept over the two people behind Di Wenlong, lingering for a moment on Gan Wenzhu's charming face before moving away as if nothing had happened.

It was her... her "good friend" from her previous life — Gan Wenzhu! And that man was naturally her Dao Companion — Fu Tiansong!

A round of polite pleasantries echoed in the hall. Di Hongshen stood up, smiling, using the utmost flattery, praising the Moonshadow Sect's magnificent atmosphere and Heavenly Venerable Ling's power that shook Cangwu; Di Wenlong also squeezed out a smile, speaking empty pleasantries.

They actually have a Void Tempering fifth-level cultivator...

Ling Hao saw the old man's Realm at a glance. He remained indifferent, responding casually.

Di Hongshen stated their purpose.

"Heavenly Venerable Ling's reputation is widespread, and the Moonshadow Sect controlling the Southeast is truly a blessing for Cangwu. This old man has brought the younger generation here, firstly to admire the Heavenly Venerable's demeanor and pay respects to the Holy Land of the Immortal Sect."

"Secondly, I also wish to discuss Southeast defense cooperation with your Sect to fight against the Demon Tribulation together. The Wanxian Dynasty is willing to form an alliance with the Moonshadow Sect and help each other."

"Oh? An alliance?" Ling Hao tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair, his tone unreadable.

Di Hongshen continued: "Exactly! Now that the True Demon Realm is restless, the Southeast defense line is crucial. My Wanxian Dynasty is willing to exchange resources with the Moonshadow Sect and accomplish great things together. To show our sincerity, I wonder if it is possible to..."

He changed the subject, testing the waters: "Allow us to visit your Sect's Holy Land and appreciate the supreme atmosphere of an eighth-rank Immortal Sect?"

A curve appeared on Ling Hao's lips as he interrupted directly: "No need. The Moonshadow Sect is a place for quiet cultivation and does not like to be disturbed by outsiders. As for defense cooperation, the Cangwu Yuji Platform will coordinate it."

Ling Hao refused cleanly and decisively, leaving no room for negotiation.

Within the Moonshadow Sect, this outermost Yingxia Peak was an exception because it dealt with the outside world. Further in, apart from himself, not a single male was allowed to exist!

A trace of embarrassment and dissatisfaction flashed in Di Hongshen's eyes, but it was quickly covered up. The smile on Di Wenlong's face also stiffened, a trace of anger flashing in his eyes, but he dared not act out. The scene turned cold for a moment.

After perfunctorily exchanging a few more words, seeing that Ling Hao's intention to see them off was obvious, Di Hongshen had no choice but to take the unhappy Di Wenlong and the other two and leave resentfully.

After the Wanxian Dynasty group left, only Ling Hao and Lin Xiwei remained in the hall.

"Is it her?" Ling Hao looked at Lin Xiwei,

Lin Xiwei nodded slowly:

"Mm, Gan Wenzhu. In my previous life... she was once one of the 'good friends' I trusted the most."

"Do you recall anything? Did she really betray you?" Ling Hao asked, "If you wish, your Revered Master can have them stay right now."

Lin Xiwei was silent for a moment, then slowly shook her head, her cold voice carrying a trace of confusion: "Reincarnation causes wear and tear, and memory fragments are incomplete... I just feel it has something to do with her, but I don't know if that is the truth."

She paused and continued, "Moreover, I don't know why the Wanxian Dynasty, a dignified seventh-rank power, had to force me, a small Soul Transformation cultivator at the time, to my death."

Ling Hao looked at the complex emotions hidden beneath his Disciple's cold exterior and nodded gently:

"No matter. Memories will eventually be recovered. Even if they cannot be found..." He looked toward the direction where the Wanxian Dynasty group had disappeared, his eyes profound, "There will be plenty of opportunities to deal with them in the future."

Wanxian Dynasty, is it?

Hearing this, Lin Xiwei raised her eyes to look at her Revered Master's tall, straight back, her cold eyes fluctuating slightly. She knew that her Revered Master was telling her that the Moonshadow Sect was already her backing, and no matter what lay ahead, she no longer needed to bear it alone.

She slowly leaned her head against Ling Hao's chest, a smile on her lips,

"Mm."

Three days later, above the Moonshadow Sect.

Rumble—!

Deafening thunder broke the tranquility of the Sect! Two vast and mighty auras rushed into the sky, triggering the Heavenly Tribulation.

Thick tribulation clouds gathered rapidly over the Sect. Within the clouds, violent purple-gold lightning converged, emitting a destructive aura, quickly locking onto the two figures on the Tribulation Platform below.

One figure, in a pink dress fluttering in the wind, was surrounded by countless flickering phantom runes.

Chi Wanhe's aura was violent and full at this moment; the barrier of the Golden Core Realm Perfection was already crumbling under the impact of the vast spiritual power within her body, waiting only for the baptism of the Heavenly Tribulation to break out of the cocoon and become a butterfly.

The other figure, in black clothes like ink. Du Yuqing looked up at the tribulation clouds, the golden lotus mark on her forehead erupting with brilliant golden light.

The Qi and blood in her body roared like a Dragon, the ultimate power of the Golden Body Realm Perfection galloping and roaring within her, drawing the reaction of the Heavenly Tribulation.

After experiencing a hundred accumulations in the Heaven-Reaching Tower, the two finally ushered in the opportunity for a Breakthrough—

The Nascent Soul Lightning Tribulation and the Body Cultivator Heavenly Phenomenon Tribulation arrived at the same time!