Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

Chapter 117 Purple Mansion

In mid-air, the wind howled and the sounds of fierce magical collisions were incessant.

But at this moment, the world fell into an eerie silence.

The shocking shout from Xiang Qianhu had barely left his lips when, on the other side, the Black Spider Dharma King, who was locked in a fierce battle with the outer alchemy elder of the Qixia Immortal Sect, suddenly froze in his fierce offensive.

His eight jet-black spider spears, seemingly forged from refined steel, were abruptly suspended in mid-air, his cold and savage eyes fixed on the void left by the shattered Five Elements Bewildering Array.

The vast radiance of the moon poured out as if it were a tangible substance, weaving a magnificent spectacle of "the bright moon rising over the sea" across the sky; accompanied by the profound sounds of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, the "Imperial Dew," transformed into spiritual rain, fell gently upon the human world.

Seeing this strange phenomenon, the Black Spider King felt a terrifying chill rush from his tailbone straight to the top of his head, and in an instant, his soul almost left his body!

"The bright moon rises over the sea—the emperor's dew flows—"

"This is indeed a phenomenon unique to cultivators of the Taiyin lineage who open their Purple Mansion—there's absolutely no mistake about it!"

The Black Spider Dharma King clearly understood the meaning of the four words "opening up the Purple Palace".

In the world of cultivation, although the Core Formation Realm is lofty and unattainable, its internal ranks are vastly different, divided into three types:

Low-grade Golden Core (External Core): Just like the Qixia Immortal Sect's External Core Elder who is currently being suppressed by him. Although such a person can be considered a Core Formation cultivator, they are ultimately a "fake core" achieved by using the inner core of a high-level demon beast. Because of this, their magical power and cultivation will forever remain at the moment of successful Core Formation, and they will never be able to make any further progress in this life.

Mid-grade Golden Core: This is a Golden Core truly achieved through one's own arduous cultivation and fortuitous encounters. Such cultivators are not only incredibly powerful, but because their Golden Core is formed from their own Dao essence, they can continue cultivating further. However, their Dao foundation is ultimately not as perfect and flawless as the legendary Purple Mansion Golden Core.

Superior Golden Elixir (Purple Mansion Golden Elixir): The core and focus of its cultivation lies entirely in the two words "Purple Mansion".

As the Black Spider King retreated frantically, terrifying rumors about the Purple Mansion kept flashing through his mind.

The Purple Palace is like the placenta of a person. It takes this vast world as its mother, seizes the creation of heaven and earth, and delves into the mysteries of the sun and moon to nurture the foundation of the Golden Elixir.

When Gu Yue Zhenren first entered the Purple Mansion, his magical power was probably not much different from that of a cultivator who had just entered the middle-grade Golden Core stage.

However, this is not the end at all, but merely the beginning.

As time goes by, the Purple Mansion, this "placenta," will continuously absorb the essence of heaven and earth, and the foundation of True Person Lonely Moon will become increasingly unfathomable, gradually widening the gap with and crushing mid-grade Golden Core cultivators of the same level.

Only after the "fetus" in the Purple Mansion placenta has absorbed enough nutrients and fully developed can the Purple Mansion Golden Core be completed!

Reaching this stage means achieving what countless cultivators aspire to—a superior-grade Golden Core.

Upon realizing this, the murderous aura surrounding the Black Spider King instantly dissipated, and his fighting spirit was completely crushed.

It can be said that for cultivators, the entire process from the moment they successfully open their Purple Mansion until they finally condense a high-grade Golden Core is just like a woman's ten-month pregnancy.

During this period, there are no longer any bottlenecks in cultivation at any level, nor is it necessary to painstakingly comprehend the ethereal laws of heaven and earth.

All she needs is enough time to settle down and a massive amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth as "nourishment".

Once you have accumulated enough foundation, everything will fall into place naturally.

The Black Spider King was fully aware of the significance of this achievement.

Even in the prosperous ancient times when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was abundant and rare treasures were everywhere, it was difficult for one out of a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators to become a peerless genius who could successfully open the Purple Mansion.

Not to mention this degenerate age of Dharma, where spiritual energy is depleted and lineages are severed!

The fact that Gu Yue could defy fate and open up the Purple Palace in such a desperate situation is nothing short of a miracle.

This not only signifies a qualitative leap in Gu Yue Zhenren's personal strength, but also reveals to the world her terrifying, limitless potential for the future.

Black Spider King knew that the situation was completely out of control.

The Great You Dynasty will definitely try to win over this newly promoted Purple Mansion official first.

"Before Lonely Moon and the Imperial Court completely fall out—" The Black Spider Dharma King's expression was uncertain as he secretly made his calculations.

Black Spider King understood that it was only a matter of time before Lone Moon and the imperial court fell out, and the probability was extremely high.

Back then, which of the Wusheng Sect, Xuanyin Sect, or even many other major cultivation sects in the world hadn't initially feigned compliance with the imperial court?

In the end, they all broke ties and embarked on a path of open or covert confrontation.

The more accomplished a practitioner is, the more resolute their will and the lofty their aspirations.

The pursuit of immortality is not only about achieving "longevity" and living as long as the heavens, but also about "freedom" and transcendence!

To attain immortality, one must also attain great freedom and ease; this is the true path of immortality.

How could a proud and outstanding person like Gu Yue be willing to remain subservient to others and be driven by them forever?

This is also the most fundamental and irreconcilable contradiction between the centralized rule of the Great You Dynasty and the pursuit of freedom by the cultivation world.

Even if a break is inevitable in the future, the Great You Dynasty will certainly try to win them over first.

However, Gu Yue might not be able to refuse from the start.

After all, in an era of depleted spiritual energy, the resources of the imperial court were extremely tempting to great cultivators, especially since the imperial court also controlled secret realms and immortal traces.

On the other hand, Xiang Qianhu would never miss out on the credit for helping the court win over a Purple Mansion official.

For the Qixia Immortal Sect, the significance of Gu Yue opening the Purple Mansion was immeasurable.

The significance of producing a Purple Mansion that is destined to become a high-grade Golden Core is ten or even a hundred times greater than producing a mid-grade Golden Core!

The Black Spider King suddenly came to his senses.

As expected, the Qixia Immortal Sect's external alchemy elder, who was originally severely injured and nearly exhausted, seemed to have a resurgence of energy after seeing the strange phenomenon of "the bright moon rising over the sea."

The old man trembled all over, bursting forth with an unprecedented determination, his previously waning life essence burning wildly and recklessly.

Black Spider King's heart sank. For the sake of the once-in-a-millennium hope for the rise of Qixia Immortal Sect, he would never back down even half a step from this old scoundrel who was willing to risk his life.

He will not allow anyone to disturb Master Guyue's final transformation!

"retreat!"

The Black Spider King acted decisively, without any hesitation.

He understands the current situation better than anyone else.

With his sharp shout, the Wusheng Sect members, who had been charging forward like mad dogs, instantly stopped their attack.

They were well-trained and immediately abandoned their opponents, retreating frantically like the receding tide of black water.

The remaining disciples of the Qixia Immortal Sect, covered in blood and struggling to hold on, suddenly felt the suffocating and terrifying pressure on their bodies dissipate.

Many people's legs went weak and they almost collapsed to the ground, their hands holding the ritual implements trembling uncontrollably, but their tired eyes were rekindled with the ecstatic joy of escaping from a desperate situation.

In the center of the battlefield, the Black Spider King and the Three Ghosts of Tianshui revealed fierce expressions. The group attacked in perfect unison, unleashing a massive, overwhelming surge of malevolent energy.

The outer alchemy elder of the Qixia Immortal Sect was already at his limit, relying solely on his resolute will to hold on. Under the combined attack of this immense force, he groaned and staggered backward, forcing a path of escape. Taking advantage of this opening, the Black Spider Dharma King and the others did not linger in battle, turning around and transforming into several streaks of light to prepare for their escape.

"Trying to leave? Stay here!"

Upon seeing this from afar, Commander Xiang's face turned ashen, and a hint of anxiety flashed in his eyes. He knew that his earlier scheme to stand by and watch, hoping to reap the benefits, had probably already been detected by Master Guyue.

Now that Master Guyue has successfully opened his Purple Mansion, his status and position have soared to new heights, and even the imperial court is trying its best to win him over.

Xiang Qianhu knew all too well that his change of stance came far too late.

If he can't take down a few heads of sufficient importance to gain recognition and credit before the True Immortal finishes his cultivation and emerges from seclusion, he'll likely lose his position as a commander of a thousand households in the eyes of the imperial court and Gu Yue in the future.

Right now, how could he possibly allow the Black Spider King, this ready-made "stepping stone," to escape unscathed?

"Fire arrows! Stop them!"

He roared at the commander. Before his words had even finished, a terrifying surge of spiritual energy suddenly erupted from behind the Eagle Wolf Guard's formation.

In the night sky, a high-pitched dragon roar tore through the clouds, and a blazing fire dragon, tens of feet long, soared into the air, carrying an intense heat capable of incinerating everything, and stood firmly in front of the Black Spider King and his companions.

This is the ultimate weapon that the Eagle Wolf Guard of the Great You Dynasty has been holding back—the Fire Dragon Crossbow!

This crossbow was extremely expensive to make because a master of formations forcibly inscribed and sealed a powerful "Fire Dragon Divine Power" into a specially made crossbow.

Once activated, its power is in no way inferior to the full-force attack of a low-grade Golden Core cultivator.

What's even more terrifying is that once this fire dragon leaves the bow, it possesses a domineering effect of locking onto one's vital energy with divine sense, making it a relentless and irreversible attack.

However, as the Dharma King who protects the Wusheng Sect, Black Spider has dealt with the Great You Dynasty for half his life and is well aware of the Eagle Wolf Guard's trump cards and methods. How could he be completely unprepared?

Just as the scorching aura of the fire dragon locked onto him, a resolute madness flashed in the eyes of the fleeing Black Spider King. He bit his tongue sharply and spat out a mouthful of his vital essence blood, which emitted a rich and exotic fragrance.

"Awesome!"

His essence and blood instantly burned in mid-air, transforming into an extremely beautiful blood-red lotus flower, which steadily rested at his feet—this was the Blood Lotus Escape Technique, a secret escape technique within the Wusheng Sect that involved burning the very essence of life.

boom!

The moment the Blood Lotus bloomed, the Black Spider King's speed suddenly increased several times over.

His entire body transformed into a crimson line of blood, almost invisible to the naked eye, narrowly escaping the edge of the sea of ​​fire, which was powerful enough to melt metal, just before the fire dragon pounced down.

Although the enormous fire dragon locked onto his aura and roared in pursuit with a sudden twist of its massive body in mid-air, it was ultimately a step too slow in the face of this desperate blood escape technique that disregarded all costs. It could only watch helplessly as the distance between them grew ever wider.

"Commander Xiang, you piece of junk are not worthy of taking my head!"

Feeling the fierce wind rushing past his ears, a mocking sneer appeared on the pale face of the Black Spider King.

As he drew ever closer to the horizon, about to vanish completely into the boundless night, he disappeared.

At this critical moment, a sudden change occurred!

In the grand spectacle of "The Rising Moon Over the Sea," which floats between heaven and earth and belongs to the Purple Mansion opened by the Lonely Moon Immortal, the bright and cold moon suddenly trembled slightly.

Immediately afterwards, a flying knife as thin as a cicada's wing shot out silently from the pouring moonlight.

This throwing knife has no trace of ordinary iron texture; it is entirely formed from the purest and most potent Yin divine light.

The moment it appeared, even the surrounding void was frozen by that terrifying, extreme cold, causing ripples to spread.

The speed of the flying knife was so fast that it completely defied common sense, as if it ignored the obstacles of space. It carried a high-level pressure and domineering aura originating from a great cultivator in the Purple Mansion, and instantly locked the Black Spider Dharma King, who was far away in the sky, in the air.

In an instant, this thin-winged flying knife, formed from the divine light of the moon, completely ignored the obstacles of space.

Before the Black Spider King could even react or use his magic weapon to defend himself, the cold, piercing blade light had already caught up with him from behind, and with overwhelming force, it pierced deep into the back of his head!

"puff!"

There was no earth-shattering roar, only a dull, penetrating sound.

In an instant, the chilling aura of Yin erupted within the Black Spider King's skull.

His powerful soul, honed over a hundred years during the Foundation Establishment stage, was completely frozen and mercilessly annihilated by this terrifyingly cold power before it could even struggle.

The Wusheng Sect Dharma King, who had been using Blood Escape and moving with lightning speed just moments before, suddenly lost all his luster in his eyes. His entire body, like a heavy ice stone that had lost its power, plummeted straight down from the sky and crashed heavily into the wilderness with a loud "bang," dead beyond any doubt.

Seeing this horrifying scene, the people not far away all felt their scalps tingle and their awe increased even more.

In fact, with the profound foundation of the Black Spider Dharma King's perfected Foundation Establishment, if he could suppress his fear and risk his life to face the Lone Moon True Man head-on, even if he was ultimately defeated, he might not have been killed so cleanly and decisively.

Unfortunately, the strange phenomenon in his Purple Mansion instilled too much fear in him, and all he could think about was burning his life essence to escape with all his might.

In pursuit of ultimate speed, he poured all his magical power into the Blood Lotus Escape Technique, to the point that he removed all his protective aura and defensive artifacts.

With his defenses severely compromised and his body completely exposed, he was easily killed like a chicken or a dog in the face of this deadly attack that came from nowhere.

Even so, the impact of this strike was still unparalleled.

In the blink of an eye, across an immense distance, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, renowned for his ferocity in Lin Yuan Prefecture, perished on the spot.

This seemingly casual yet domineering strike vividly displayed the terrifying power of this newly promoted Grandmaster of the Purple Mansion to everyone.

As the Black Spider King's aura completely dissipated, the remaining members of the Wusheng Sect were left leaderless and terrified.

Even the high and mighty Dharma King was instantly killed in one move, so where did they find the slightest will to fight?

Including the previously arrogant "Three Ghosts of Tianshui," all the evil cultivators scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in panic in all directions.

But how could Commander Xiang let them leave?

"Form ranks! Kill them all, leave no one alive!"

With a loud shout from the commander, the inescapable net that the Eagle Wolf Guard had already set up on the perimeter instantly closed in.

The elite cavalry surrounded them from all sides, unleashing a barrage of powerful bows and crossbow bolts like a violent storm.

Those panicked and demoralized followers of the Wusheng Cult were like fish caught in a net, falling one after another into pools of blood with screams of agony.

Despite their considerable cultivation, the Three Ghosts of Tianshui were unable to escape the tight encirclement of the Great You Dynasty's regular army and soon found themselves in dire straits.

As the noise and screams gradually subsided, this fierce battle involving multiple forces finally came to an end.

At this moment, the magnificent celestial phenomenon of "the bright moon rising over the sea" in the sky had slowly dissipated, and the night sky returned to calm.

However, the oppressive aura emanating from Master Guyue did not dissipate.

The immense Yin energy that overflowed during the breakthrough had already condensed into an extremely terrifying cold domain inside and outside the Tiger Hill Cave.

Within a radius of a hundred feet, the ground was covered with a thick layer of dark blue frost. Even the moisture in the air was frozen into ice crystals, which floated in mid-air and emitted a bone-chilling cold that kept living people away.

Xiang Qianhu, the outer alchemy elder of Qixia Immortal Sect, and the elite troops who had cleaned up the mess all stood at the edge of this frigid region with expressions of awe.

Even though the great battle was over, without the personal summons of Master Guyue, the group of people who were usually so powerful and influential outside were all obediently holding their breath and remaining silent, not daring to cross the line and trespass into this territory belonging to the Purple Mansion.

..

mm

Not to mention how anxiously Xiang Qianhu and the outer alchemy elders of Qixia Immortal Sect were waiting for Gu Yue's summons.

Within this frigid domain, temporarily enveloped by the Yin Dharma intent of the Lonely Moon True Man, there was none of the oppressive tension of the outside world; instead, a strange tranquility permeated the air.

Beside the icy pool deep within the cave, the Lonely Moon Immortal, dressed in snow-white robes, possessed an even more ethereal and unfathomable aura after breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm.

At this moment, she was casually sitting cross-legged on a flat, green rock, looking relaxed, and surprisingly, she started chatting with Xia Dong about everyday things.

She extended her slender, lustrous finger and pointed to the large snake curled up lazily dozing by the edge of the icy pool. She chuckled and said, "This snake is quite lucky. Today, coinciding with my opening of my Purple Mansion and the interaction of heaven and earth, it received the baptism of the 'Imperial Dew' created by this accompanying phenomenon. It can be considered a rare stroke of good fortune for it."

Master Guyue paused, his cool voice carrying a hint of instruction in cultivation, and continued, "This Emperor's Essence is the purest essence of creation in the world, possessing an extremely powerful ability to enlighten the spirituality of all things. On the contrary, we humans, born as the most intelligent of all beings, with innate intelligence, don't benefit much from this Emperor's Essence. However, for those spiritual plants that haven't fully awakened their potential, and for low- to mid-level demonic beasts, it is an unparalleled tonic for transformation."

In Master Guyue's opinion, this giant snake had unexpectedly received such an incredible opportunity from the immortals, and should be rolling on the ground in excitement, or being extremely grateful to her "thick legs".

But when she looked closely, she saw that the giant snake merely lazily lifted its eyelids, flicked its tongue perfunctorily, and didn't even bother to move its coiled, bloated body.

Upon seeing this, Master Guyue's cold eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, before he muttered angrily, "What an ungrateful wretch."

She still had her pride, so she didn't use her spiritual pressure to intimidate Orochi and had to suppress her anger.

You little beast, you fear power but have no gratitude!

Xia Dong, standing to the side, took in the whole scene. On the surface, he kept his eyes down and pretended to be calm, but inwardly he couldn't help but complain.

This imperial nectar was a once-in-a-century celestial opportunity in the eyes of the Lonely Moon Immortal, but in the eyes of this giant serpent, it was nothing special.

The ancient bronze bell in his sea of ​​consciousness, every full moon night, when the great serpent uses its inner core to draw upon the yin moonlight, accompanied by the resounding sound of the bell, can cause the moonlight to transform, creating imperial nectar to enlighten the great serpent.

Although the quantity of bronze ancient bells produced each time is far less than the overwhelming amount created by the Lonely Moon Immortal when he opened his Purple Mansion,

It was a grand affair, but the ancient bronze bells, with their slow and steady flow, were the real winners!

This thing comes every month, right on time, just like the monthly stipend that the Great You Dynasty gives to the Eagle Wolf Guards—it's as stable and reliable as that.

The giant snake had long been accustomed to this monthly "royal stipend," and now, looking at this scene, it was at most like having a lavish meal. No wonder people were surprised by it.

Of course, Xia Dong would never dare to utter a single word about the incredible secret of the ancient bronze bell, even if it meant keeping it to himself.

Seeing that Gu Yue Zhenren was somewhat speechless at the giant snake's reaction, Xia Dong quickly stood up and bowed deeply with utmost solemnity to prevent her from digging deeper. He then naturally changed the subject: "This junior congratulates Senior on achieving the Great Dao and successfully opening the Purple Mansion! I was seriously injured and on the verge of death before, and I am very grateful to Senior for saving my life. I will never forget this kindness of being reborn."

Xia Dong bowed his head deeply and spoke these words respectfully, his posture upright yet humble, never daring to look up at the newly promoted Purple Mansion True Man.

He knew exactly what the "Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Path" meant.

That is the most superior cultivation path in the world of cultivation, the undisputed "orthodox" of the Xuanmen sect. Senior Guyue has now successfully taken this step, crossing the insurmountable barrier that countless cultivators dream of. His path to immortality is truly vast, and his future is limitless.

However, when he heard Xia Dong utter the words "healing," an unnatural hint of embarrassment and panic flashed uncontrollably in Gu Yue Zhenren's usually cold eyes.

In an instant, a vivid image flashed through her mind: inside the cave, she had completely lowered her guard and engaged in passionate lovemaking in order to seize the "Innate Essence."

Fortunately, Xia Dong kept his head down as usual and did not notice the strangeness in her expression.

Master Guyue took a deep breath, quickly suppressing the ripples in her heart and forcing herself to calm down. She spoke in her usual cool and indifferent tone, "You don't need to thank me. I merely fed you a Life-Creating Pill and incidentally transferred a little of my own Yin essence to you."

She paused slightly, her gaze complex as she looked at the young man before her, and added meaningfully, "However, my successful opening of my Purple Mansion is also thanks to your help," allowing me to complete my mission. "Xia Dong, what is your wish? I am deeply indebted to you for this great favor. Just tell me, and I will do everything in my power to help you achieve it."

Xia Dong felt a little strange upon hearing this, but he couldn't figure out the reason. He just vaguely felt that it was related to his erotic dream, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the key.

His mind raced, and without any hesitation, he replied calmly and firmly, "This junior has no other desires but to cultivate diligently and attain immortality and freedom."

Upon hearing this answer, Master Guyue was visibly taken aback.

She quietly looked at Xia Dong's genuine and pure appearance, and suddenly chuckled: "Immortality and freedom—even I, in my current state, cannot fulfill this wish for you."

The Great You Dynasty's attempts to appease and restrict its rule, the open and covert struggles among the sects of the world—as long as one is involved, who can say they are truly enjoying true freedom? However, the admiration in her eyes grew even stronger: "However, to be able to maintain such a pure heart for the Dao in the mortal world, we can be considered like-minded."

She suppressed her smile and solemnly promised, "I still owe you two things, but you can keep them until you've thought them through and come back to me later. As for the future—as long as I, Lonely Moon, am by your side, I will protect you and ensure your safety, and I will never let anyone harm you in the slightest. If one day I have to leave this territory of the Great You Dynasty, if you are willing, you can come with me. After all, we have been through thick and thin together, and our friendship is different from that of others."

A sense of security welled up in Xia Dong's heart; this was a promise of protection from the great cultivator of the Purple Mansion!

Senior Lonely Moon is actually a person who values ​​loyalty and righteousness.

He immediately bowed deeply again and sincerely said, "Thank you for your kindness, senior!"

Master Guyue nodded slightly: "Go, go out and call those people outside in. Lin Yuan Prefecture can't continue to be in chaos like this."

"Yes, sir." Xia Dong replied and withdrew.

Outside the Taiyin Cold Domain, Commander Xiang, Lord Qian, and the outer alchemy elders of the Qixia Immortal Sect were anxiously awaiting news.

When they saw Xia Dong emerge unharmed from the ice crystals, everyone's expressions brightened.

Especially Master Qian in the crowd, who already highly valued Xia Dong's martial arts potential and had invested in him. Master Qian's greatest intolerance in life was investing without a return.

Therefore, if something were to happen to Xia Dong, it would cause him great distress.

Therefore, he had been worried about it.

Seeing Xia Dong safe and sound, a huge weight was finally lifted from his heart. Lord Qian rushed forward, overjoyed, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement: "Xueyi! You're really alright. That's good, that's good!"

Xia Dong kept in mind the kindness of Lord Qian in protecting her in the council hall of the Thousand Households, and was also moved by his undisguised concern now.

Facing Lord Qian, his cold expression softened somewhat, and he cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "Thanks to your good fortune, sir, I have been incredibly lucky to have survived this ordeal."

As for Xiang Qianhu standing to the side, Xia Dong's attitude was completely different.

The two had little interaction to begin with, and given Xiang Qianhu's previous neutral stance and opportunistic behavior in the council hall, Xia Dong was fully aware of the situation.

Although she didn't confront him directly or embarrass her boss, Xia Dong merely glanced at him indifferently and then ignored him, displaying a very distant attitude.

It's good to be able to please everyone, but you still need to have your own principles, otherwise others will think you're easy to bully.

He now represents the face of Senior Lonely Moon.

Xiang Qianhu was such a cunning old fox, how could he not see Xia Dong's indifference?

He was also aware that he had offended Master Guyue before, and that he had stood by and watched during the battle just now, so he had no face to show to this newly promoted Purple Mansion.

If you try to force yourself to get close to them at this point, you'll only be asking for trouble.

So he coughed to cover his embarrassment and quickly gave Lord Qian a wink, signaling him to sound him out.

Lord Qian understood immediately and followed up by asking, "Xueyi, has the Master given any instructions? What's his attitude?"

Xia Dong glanced around at the anxious crowd and said calmly, "The True Immortal has successfully broken through the barrier and is in a good mood. Let me come out and invite you all in to talk."

Hearing this, Xiang Qianhu and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Xia Dong changed the subject, glancing at the Eagle Wolf Guards and the remaining disciples of the Qixia Immortal Sect, and continued, "However, the True Person prefers quiet. If there are too many people and it's noisy, it will inevitably disturb the Senior's cultivation. Therefore, just a few people going in will suffice; there's no need to make a fuss."

These words were clearly meant for both sides present.

On the Qixia Immortal Sect's side, the outer alchemy elder, barely clinging to life, immediately stepped forward upon hearing this. Though his voice was weak and hoarse, it was exceptionally firm as he spoke: "In that case, I will go in alone to pay my respects to the True Person."

His statement set the tone. Commander Xiang opened his mouth, originally intending to bring a few trusted confidants in to bolster his courage and save face, but now he couldn't bring any more of his cronies.

After a moment's thought, Commander Xiang quickly came to terms with it. Whether he brought a few trusted followers or hundreds of them to a Purple Mansion expert made absolutely no difference.

If they really anger the other party, they can wipe them all out in the blink of an eye, so having a large number of them is meaningless.

Moreover, Commander Xiang was confident. He was certain that no matter how much Master Guyue disliked him, he would never openly rebel against the court at this critical juncture.

The reason is simple: the Great You Dynasty still holds the teleportation array that leads to the "Three Islands Sea Area"!

Now that the Lone Moon Immortal has achieved the Purple Mansion realm, the spiritual energy required is immense, and he is destined not to remain in the Great You Dynasty, where spiritual energy is gradually drying up.

As a highly ambitious Taoist cultivator, if she wanted to continue climbing higher and seek the path to the Divine Transformation Realm, the Three Islands Sea, with its abundant spiritual energy and gathering of eminent figures, was her only way out and the best place to go.

As long as the teleportation array remains firmly in the hands of the Great You Dynasty, True Person Gu Yue will definitely have some reservations, and everyone will still have room to sit down and discuss the bargaining chips.

After the agreement was reached, Commander Xiang, Lord Qian, and the outer alchemy elder of Qixia Immortal Sect followed closely behind Xia Dong, holding their breath and taking steps.

However, just as everyone crossed that boundary and stepped completely into the frigid domain shrouded by the Yin Dharma, the surrounding scenery suddenly underwent a dramatic change.

The once dark, damp, and icy Tiger Hill Cave has vanished without a trace. In its place lies a vast, misty, and strange space.

Beneath their feet surged a chilling mist, while above them stretched a vast, seemingly tangible void. A chill ran through everyone; they immediately realized this was an illusionary array set up by the Lonely Moon Immortal.

Before they could even adjust to the sudden change in environment, a terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from the Purple Mansion descended upon them without warning, like an invisible mountain cascading down from the heavens!

This oppressive aura carried no trace of worldly warmth, yet it exuded a chilling power that seemed to freeze the heavens and earth, and reign supreme over all things.

Faced with such a sense of oppression, even seasoned generals like Commander Xiang, who wielded great power, or elders of the Outer Core stage whose cultivation had already reached the Core Formation stage, couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

Their magical power and blood circulation became extremely sluggish under this oppressive force, and their legs went weak. Out of instinctive awe for high-ranking cultivators, everyone bowed deeply and respectfully before them.

"Greetings, Venerable Lonely Moon! Congratulations on your attainment of the Purple Palace!"

While bowing respectfully, everyone cautiously glanced ahead out of the corner of their eyes.

In the center of this illusory space, the Lone Moon Immortal sat serenely on a cloud bed formed from pure Yin energy. She was dressed in pristine white robes, surrounded by an aura of extreme coldness, like a compassionate yet ruthless deity.

That stunningly beautiful face was now shrouded in an impenetrable, chilling frost; her eyes were slightly lowered, revealing a cold indifference that kept everyone at a distance.

This aloof and cold demeanor is nothing like the "good mood" Xia Dong mentioned outside.

Upon seeing this, Xiang Qianhu and the others felt a sudden jolt in their hearts, their already anxious hearts leaping into their throats.

This invisible pressure made them feel uneasy and even made them breathe carefully, for fear that a loud breath would anger the newly promoted Purple Mansion.

Xiang Qianhu felt the chill as if he had fallen into an ice cave. He secretly swallowed and inwardly groaned, unable to help but curse inwardly: "What kind of lie is Xia Dong telling! Calling this a good mood? This icy, unapproachable demeanor is clearly still that of the ruthless Jade Rakshasa from back then!"

Noticing the anxious and apprehensive expressions on the faces of Xiang Qianhu and the others beside him, Xia Dong kept his eyes down and muttered to himself, "I really wasn't lying to you. When it was just the two of us talking alone inside, Senior Gu Yue's demeanor was indeed quite gentle."

However, Xia Dong knew perfectly well that a woman's face could change in an instant, turning on her like a flip of a book, let alone a Purple Mansion cultivator who had just broken through to a higher realm and needed to establish his authority.

When facing outsiders, one naturally has to adopt this unfathomable and unapproachable demeanor.

Xia Dong was not surprised at all by this.

Just as everyone was filled with unease, the Lonely Moon Immortal on the cloud bed finally spoke. She ignored the Eagle Wolf Guards and instead cast her cold gaze upon the Outer Alchemy Elder of the Qixia Immortal Sect.

"Elder Liang," Gu Yue Zhenren's voice echoed through the illusion, carrying an imposing and authoritative aura, "what is the current situation within the sect?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Liang, the Outer Alchemy Master, was startled and dared not conceal anything. He immediately stepped forward and reported in detail, without missing a single word, the mess that Qixia Immortal Sect was currently in, with its aristocratic factions and master-disciple factions splitting apart, its foundation being taken away, and the Pei family and other aristocratic families secretly colluding with the Wusheng Sect.

Upon hearing these words, Master Guyue's eyes instantly turned as cold as ice. She sneered, "The Pei family's matter—very good, I'll remember it."

Elder Liang sensed the chill in her tone and his heart tightened. He quickly bowed deeply and pleaded cautiously, "The sect is currently leaderless and in turmoil. I beg you, Master, to remember our past relationship and return to the sect as soon as possible to take charge!"

Elder Liang adopted an extremely humble posture, even bordering on subservience. This was unavoidable, given the incredibly strict hierarchy within the cultivation world.

Although he also held the title of "Core Formation True Man," he was merely a low-level external alchemist.

If we use the secular imperial examination as an analogy, his low-grade Golden Core is at best a barely passable "third-class Jinshi" (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), his future is already predictable; while the Lonely Moon True Man has opened up his Purple Mansion, which is "first-class Jinshi", his future is boundless.

The potential gap between the two is immeasurable.

Therefore, no matter how senior or old Elder Liang was in the sect, he dared not show the slightest intention of relying on his seniority in front of True Person Guyue, and completely regarded himself as a subordinate.

However, in the face of Elder Liang's earnest expectations, Master Guyue simply said in a flat tone, "We'll talk about this later."

She made no clear promises, nor bothered to offer any further explanation, and simply put the matter aside. Then, she turned her head, her sharp gaze landing directly on Xiang Qianhu.

Xiang Qianhu felt a chill run down his spine and quickly bowed, awaiting orders.

"Commander Xiang," Master Guyue said in an unquestionable, commanding tone, "Xia Dong possesses spiritual roots and has now officially embarked on the path of immortality. Upon your return, immediately draft an official document to submit to the Tongxuan Division in the capital," to register Xia Dong in the immortal register.

She paused slightly, then added, "Also, specify in the official document that the Tongxuan Division should send Xia Dong's rightful Foundation Establishment Pill, along with the Ascension Token, to Lin Yuan Prefecture. If either is missing, I will hold you responsible."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Qianhu was struck dumb. He abruptly raised his head and looked at Xia Dong, who was standing silently to the side, with disbelief on his face.

"He—he actually possesses spiritual roots?"

Xiang Qianhu was greatly surprised.

Upon hearing the words "Ascension Order," Commander Xiang felt both envy and jealousy.