Immortal Road.

As you venture deeper into the palace, you'll see numerous clay sculptures depicting historical moments, with guides explaining the stories behind them to visitors.

"This is the first patriarch of the Penglai Immortal Sect. Next to him are several seniors from our Yunbian City who were on the Golden Palace Ascension Platform back then. The scene was roughly when they first received him ascension from the lower realm."

The clay sculpture of the first patriarch is naturally beautiful and has a touch of otherworldly charm. Several golden palace guards beside him bow in greeting, giving the impression of welcoming a great figure.

"Look at this next one. It's the second-generation patriarch of the Penglai Immortal Sect, Canyuan. At that time, there was a beast plague outside Yunbian City. Patriarch Canyuan personally took action to repel it and save the lives of everyone in the city."

In the scene, the second-generation patriarch, full of heroic spirit, is reaching out to grab a prairie lion, while the surrounding cultivators all flee in panic, staring in horror at this savior.

"Please move and look here. This is Huaiyuan, the fifth patriarch of the Penglai Immortal Sect. He was once invited to serve as an elder of Yunbian City. During his tenure, he worked diligently for the benefit of all cultivators and was deeply loved and respected."

This scene is quite grand. Patriarch Huaiyuan walks down the street, and the residents of the immortal city line both sides to welcome him, kneeling down with various cultivation resources, food and drink, begging for his services. It looks strange no matter how you look at it, but the guide is already used to it.

"The one with the hairpin on his head is Xuan Ge, the seventh patriarch of Penglai. He had already become a true immortal at that time. After many years, he came to the Ascension Platform in Yunbian City specifically to receive a junior who had descended to the mortal realm to ascend."

The seventh-generation patriarch, with his white hair, looked remarkably vigorous. At this moment, he was holding the hand of a young man on the ascension platform, with the Golden Palace Guards standing respectfully beside him.

"Speaking of which, let me add something."

Seeing that everyone was engrossed in listening, the monk pointing to the handsome young man in the clay sculpture of the Investiture of the Gods next to him revealed a little more information to them.

"This person is named Zang Yan. He is said to be a legitimate descendant of Penglai in the lower realm who has ascended to immortality. He is very likely to break through to become a True Immortal and become the eighth patriarch of the Penglai Immortal Sect! He even contacted our Golden Palace Ascension Platform a while ago."

Hearing this, everyone simply listened as a story.

But Lin Shan, who was in the crowd, instantly became alert!
Hidden origin? ??

The sacred land of Penglai, from which the person who sealed the Red Lotus Ancestor and the great demon Qu Gong ascended to heaven in the last Wanhui era?
And so many Penglai Patriarchs ascended from Yunbian City!
His thoughts began to diverge from this.

So, if I didn't go to the twilight universe or try to sneak in, I should have ascended here by following the normal ascension route.

pretty close!
Because the area under the jurisdiction of Cloud Edge City is the Lost World Cluster, and the Lower Realm where he is located happens to be located within it.

Then, recalling that the Penglai Immortal Sect had contacted this place not long ago, it was clear that they had learned of the destruction of the Penglai Holy Land in the lower realm, and therefore wanted to ask Jinque to keep an eye out for the ascendants and see if I was among them!

If someone unknowingly walks in, the consequences...
Lin Shan immediately felt a chill run down his neck, and was instantly filled with lingering fear!
Fortunately, he smuggled himself in; otherwise, if he had ascended through the conventional route, his original body might already be under the control of the Ascension Platform and handed over to the Penglai Immortal Sect!

Words,

Isn't the Ascension Platform a subordinate institution of the Golden Palace? As a formal institution of the Heavenly Court, how could it be controlled by an unaffiliated immortal sect? How could Penglai have such influence and reach?
He listened carefully to the explanation, collecting information and analyzing it continuously.

Only after piecing together the truth could the relationships between them be barely sorted out.

The Penglai Immortal Sect once had a founder who served as an elder of Yunbian City, holding power over the city for over a thousand years. It is estimated that he left behind some political influence, indirectly affecting the local ascension platform.

In addition, the Heavenly Palace in the city is a tourist attraction jointly developed and operated by the two companies, generating huge annual tourist revenue. Ascension Platform makes a fortune from this and naturally maintains a good relationship with Penglai Immortal Sect.

Those who have significant financial backing can influence official positions at any time.

No wonder I heard in the lower realm that corruption is rampant in the immortal realm, the Heavenly Court's influence is not what it used to be, and the major immortal domains are obedient to orders but not to proclamations. It turns out that even the local ascension platforms have been infiltrated!

Moreover, not to mention that the Penglai Immortal Sect is not in the Yunfeng Immortal Realm, but in the Dongying Immortal Realm!
The influence of this place across the Immortal Realm is, to be honest, quite significant.

Lin Shan knew that he had destroyed the Penglai lineage in the lower realm, which was the birthplace of all the patriarchs, and the two sides had become mortal enemies.

Therefore, it is beneficial to learn as much as possible about the other party's influence in the upper realm now, as this will be helpful in the future.

Of course, at this stage he is far from being able to compete with Penglai, and the other party may not even know that he has ascended, so there is no need to rush to oppose him.

There was just one thing he kept in mind.

If Cloud Edge City corresponds to the Lost World Cluster, wouldn't that mean that my acquaintances from the lower realms who ascend to heaven in the future will also come up from here?

After walking around for a while, I came out.

Chu Feng, still feeling quite pleased with his explanation, licked his lips and asked Lin Shan how he felt.
"It's truly awe-inspiring. Generations of people from Penglai have worked hard, starting from a humble place in the lower realm, ascending to heaven and spreading their influence, building the Penglai Immortal Sect through hard work and perseverance. It's an inspiring story that makes one sigh with emotion!"

Lin Shan expressed his sincere admiration and thanked the young man for his warm hospitality.

"Brother Chu's explanation was also very detailed, no less than the official explanation, and even more detailed in some unofficial historical parts. I was completely engrossed in listening."

"Haha, Brother Zhong, you flatter me. Those unofficial histories are all hearsay, and the official sources would naturally not include them. It's hard to tell if they're true or false, so just take them as a joke."

Chu Feng was very happy. He was naturally fond of making friends and felt that he got along very well with Lin Shan. He then led him to a five-story pavilion.

The signboard bears the three large characters "Zui Xian Lou".

"This name has been overused; there are probably countless restaurants called Drunken Immortal Pavilion. But this one is different. Brother Zhong, do you know why?"

Seeing that the boy was being mysterious, Lin Shan quickly guessed what was going on.

"Could it be that a celestial being really got drunk at this restaurant back then?"

"Haha, Brother Zhong is indeed clever!"

Chu Feng and his underlings escorted him in. The shopkeeper led them to a window seat on the second floor. This spot wasn't cheap, showing that they were really going all out.

As for the third, fourth, and fifth floors, those require cultivation level and status, so naturally, a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators like them are not qualified to go up.

It is said that on the fifth floor, there are still chairs and tables that the immortals used in the past. The shopkeeper has left them there exactly as they were. If you want to try, you can pay a high price to sit on them and experience the perspective and feeling of the true immortals.

Looking at the packed lobby, Lin Shan was surprised to find that it was also a popular spot for taking photos at the Xianhong Restaurant.

Because there were quite a few of them, they quickly moved another table up and put it together, and then the waiter brought them their food.

Looking at that huge table, there were only three plates of smashed cucumbers on it.

Everyone stared at each other in disbelief.

Chu Feng gave an awkward smile and quietly apologized to Lin Shan:
"The prices here are too high. A single dish costs more than ten times the price of other places. Why be a sucker? Smashed cucumber is enough as a snack with drinks. When the Drunken Immortal Wine comes out, we'll definitely drink to our hearts' content!"

When the Drunken Immortal Wine arrived, the atmosphere became unusually quiet.

Because there was only a small pot.

Chu Feng smiled awkwardly again, took a small cup about the size of a thumb, filled one cup for each person, and then raised his glass in invitation.

"Come on, it's fate that we've met. Let's have a feast to welcome Brother Zhong and wash away the dust of his journey! Cheers!"

Although the scene was simple, Lin Shan was slightly moved. He felt a simple sincerity from these young brothers. It had nothing to do with their cultivation level or status, and they had no other intentions. They just liked each other and wanted to make friends!
Looking back over the years, how long has it been since I encountered a scene like this?

"Let's do it!"

Everyone drank their fill, picked up their chopsticks to eat the smashed cucumber, and enjoyed the magnificent night view of the fairy city, creating a unique atmosphere.

Lin Shan spun the wine cup, savoring the taste, and discovered that it was indeed quite remarkable; no wonder it was a place visited by immortals.

Of course, restaurants also cater to different customers. No matter how good the wine is for Foundation Establishment cultivators, it's just so-so. If you want to taste something better, you have to go upstairs.

Suddenly, several streaks of light appeared in the distance, flying from outside the city into the city, swaggering through the streets like streaks of light bringing with them gusts of wind that made the lanterns on the buildings sway constantly, before finally landing and disappearing somewhere in the north of the city.

Lin Shan clearly saw that it was the Golden Palace Guards who had searched for him a few days ago!
The cultivators at the nearby tables were all discussing animatedly: "The entire Immortal City is under a no-fly zone. Only the Elders' Mansion and the Ascension Platform have this privilege. They've been so powerful for countless years!"

"The Ascension Platform has been making frequent movements these past two weeks, with people going in and out. We don't know what they're doing, but has something major happened outside?"

"I don't know. No one has ascended recently. Could it be that they're dealing with illegal immigrants?"

"Sigh, that's true. In recent years, the Immortal Realm has been riddled with loopholes, and it feels like there are far fewer cultivators ascending from the lower realms. I guess they've all smuggled themselves out."

"I really don't know what they're thinking. Getting caught smuggling means going to jail! If you come up from the Ascension Platform honestly, you can naturally get a position in the Golden Palace, which is a secure job for life. So many people would love to have one!"

"You don't understand. Ascended beings are used to ruling and dominating in the lower realms, and they are all arrogant and haughty. Why would they come up here to be controlled?"

"That's true. In recent years, the Heavenly Court has been waging wars and turning a blind eye to endless internal strife, yet it still insists on conquering outer space, forcibly conscripting men everywhere. Ascended beings are like lambs to the slaughter, most likely to be sent to the battlefield."

Upon hearing this, the Star Sword Immortal in the Star Mansion couldn't help but start chattering again.

"Great opportunity! You hurry up and report to the Ascension Platform. Let's take this chance to recruit soldiers and go to the Wild Starfield to forge immortal swords!"

Lin Shan's lips twitched, and he almost ordered the Annihilation clone inside to give her a piece of his mind.

The Penglai Immortal Sect and the Ascension Platform are in cahoots. They're trying to avoid each other, why would they rush off to their deaths?
That woman had no brains at all. It was really lucky that she died in the second year of the Great Cataclysm. Logically speaking, she should have died the next day!
The fact that the Ascended Ones are in such a bad situation today is something he hadn't expected.

Then I heard people talking about the recently much-discussed True Spirit Bird. Almost everyone came for it; there weren't even this many people at the market during the Lunar New Year.

What surprised him even more was that the spirit was said to appear in the suburbs tomorrow, in the birch forest!

“We brothers have arrived at the perfect time, not too early and not too late. We’ll go pay our respects to the true spirit tomorrow!”

Chu Feng and the others were overjoyed, repeatedly marveling at their good fortune.

After several rounds of drinks, only empty glasses remained.

They had finished eating the cucumber salad, and the restaurant staff politely invited them downstairs and instructed the waiter to thoughtfully deliver it to their door.

"Please take care, sir/madam. Come again when you have time!"

The group of people were indignant. They turned down the steps with their sleeves twirling, cursing inwardly that they couldn't even stay a little longer and were in such a hurry to get rid of people. They wondered if this was how you run a business.

Chu Feng, being quite understanding, laughed heartily:
"Look, there are so many people waiting outside. We can't just occupy this space without doing our business."

It was past midnight, and the number of people on the street had decreased slightly.

After traveling for so long, it was time to find a place to rest. They tried to stay at several inns, but found that they were either all full or had exorbitant prices, making it impossible for them to afford a place to stay.

After a final discussion, the group of brothers decided to go back to Yunfang for a visit.

When they got downstairs, the madam, fanning herself with a round fan, apologized:

"Sorry, all the girls in the shop have been chosen for today, we're closing now. Gentlemen, please come again tomorrow night, I'll reserve a few for you."

squeak~
The door closed, and the group was stunned.

They are all young masters from prominent families; are they really going to end up homeless?
The wind was particularly strong in the latter half of the night, and it carried a strange, eerie chill!

"I knew we should have come here first. There were girls to warm our beds and we could have spent the night here. Now look what's happened, we have nowhere to go. What are we going to do?"

Seeing his cousins' slight dissatisfaction, Chu Feng readily agreed.

"Then let's stay under the bridge. We'll just make do for the night. Tomorrow morning, we'll go and wait for the true spirit. Don't forget, we've come out here for important business!"

Lin Shan looked slightly embarrassed.

"I have dragged you all down with me. If it weren't for your hospitality, we wouldn't be in such a sorry state."

"Brother Zhong, you're overthinking it. It's nothing. We used to come here as kids and had no money, but we still slept under bridges. It's not shameful!"

With Chu Feng taking the lead, his underlings could only follow dejectedly.

Once we got to the underpass, we realized there was no way we could squeeze in!
The place was packed with all sorts of cultivators, sitting cross-legged on the ground meditating, so crowded that there wasn't even room to put your feet down.

In the end, they had to beg and plead before they finally got a place to move.

The next day.

As the sun rises, rays of light spread across the sky.

The birch forest on the northern outskirts of the city was already packed with people, all crowding the banks of the river, craning their necks and staring at the horizon.

Lin Shan, Chu Feng, and the others arrived early and secured good front-row spots. They were excited and slightly curious.

"Will the true spirit actually come? Is this news accurate?"

"I don't know, but everyone's here, so they probably didn't run away."

While they chatted, streaks of light occasionally streaked across the sky, and high-level cultivators appeared one after another.

Anyone who dares to fly above so many people must be at least a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

People of this caliber are rarely seen on ordinary days, and it's extremely rare to encounter them at the lower levels. Today, there have been no fewer than a hundred of them coming and going!

Lin Shan felt a slight tremor in his heart.

The Immortal Realm is indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. In just this Cloud Edge City, the number of True Spirits watching is roughly estimated to be no less than hundreds of thousands. Looking across the vast land of the Immortal Realm, how many more powerful figures are there?
You should know that most of the ascendants from the lower realms are only at the Nascent Soul stage. Once they arrive in the Immortal Realm, they immediately become just ordinary people. There are so many comparable people in a small place. If they go to the heart of the prosperous land, they will have to keep their tails between their legs.

As he observed, he could hear exclamations rising and falling.

It turns out that a powerful expert at the Void Transformation stage has made an appearance!
These people all came from extraordinary backgrounds, some were elders of Yunbian City, some were heads of powerful families, and some were unrestrained rogue cultivators. Finally, the big shots of the Golden Palace Ascension Platform were the last to arrive.

"Commander Jin, you've come to watch the fun too?"

"Hahaha, Elder Huang, look at what you're saying! The appearance of a true spirit is a once-in-a-millennium event, of course I had to come!"

The flag bearer, clad in golden armor and with a jade belt around his waist, exuded the air of a refined scholar-general. Behind him followed two tall and imposing armored soldiers as he walked smiling toward another elderly man in a green robe.

The two spoke without any pretense, clearly unafraid of being overheard.

"You said a while ago that a big shot from the Penglai Immortal Sect was coming, but there's been no news for so long. Are you just messing with me?"

"Hey, how could I dare! It's just that the time was wasted when the Twelve Immortals of the Temple of Earth were preaching over the Three Thousand Waters back then."

Elder Huang is an elder of Yunbian City and also a disciple of Penglai Immortal Sect.

"Master Zangyan has finished his travels and has decided to return to the sect to cultivate his Yang Spirit and officially become an immortal! Before that, he passed through the Cloud Wind Immortal Realm and heard that a true spirit had descended to earth, so he took the opportunity to pass through here. It should be soon."

No sooner had he finished speaking than an anomaly appeared on the horizon.

"Look, here it comes!" (End of Chapter)