Chapter 451: Counterattack the Tai Xuan Realm?!

He was an extremely beautiful person.

At this moment, he stood alone at the prow of the boat, clad in a robe of interwoven red and blue, harmonized perfectly.

His waist was slender enough to be clasped in one hand, like a willow swaying in the wind; his silk-like long hair cascaded down his back, gently tied with a silver ribbon.

His skin outshone snow, his neck long and elegant, but most striking were his eyes—clear as a spring pool, with slightly upturned phoenix corners, and a vermilion tear mole at his left eye, like a red plum dotting his fair, delicate skin.

From afar, he resembled a solitary pine on a wind-swept peak, radiating solemn dignity that made others dare not stare.

Zhao Ruoming's heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't that he was struck by lust—mainly because he recognized this person.

'A Celestial cultivator of the Hehuan Sect…'

Indeed, the robe he wore was the distinctive uniform of a Hehuan Sect Celestial cultivator.

He didn't even bother to disguise himself—he didn't even pretend.

Why is there a Hehuan Sect demon Celestial here in 【Zhitui Xiancheng】?

Yue Zhongfeng, fifty-seven years old, Spirit Transformation Stage early.

Also deliberately suppressing his cultivation.

In the last Xian Sect Grand Competition, he placed third in the Spirit Transformation Stage division.

Zhao Ruoming felt a headache coming on.

This was a troublesome figure; even if he were fully recovered, he likely wouldn't be a match for Him…

Even escape had only a seven-tenths chance.

As he silently worried, many others were also gazing at the Celestial cultivator—including Zi Ying, who had come to greet him.

The Celestial cultivator sensed something, and his piercing gaze, accompanied by the primordial spirit pressure unique to the Spirit Transformation Stage, swept downward!

Another Spirit Transformation Immortal?!

Everyone's hearts jolted, and they immediately lowered their heads.

Zhao Ruoming quietly withdrew his gaze and also tucked away the purple fruit he had just secretly pulled out.

The news should have already spread.

"Continue leading the way."

Zi Ying, the female cultivator who called herself that, froze, then snapped back to herself and bowed deeply.

"Yes!"

Ignore him for now—focus on your own task.

If he truly causes trouble later, at least we have four people on our side…

By the way, will Zhi Wei's sister help me?

Chi Jiuyu… that guy is so abstract—won't he just stand by and watch?

Little sister, little sister she…

Hmm…

The more Zhao Ruoming thought about it, the more frustrated he became—why were all his allies such abnormal players?

Before Yue Zhongfeng's flying vessel docked, Zhao Ruoming had already left the docking area with Zi Ying.

As for the 【Zhitui Xiancheng】 people who had come with him, they were properly accommodated.

A Spirit Transformation cultivator, though still mere cattle and expendables before the world's Return-to-Emptiness, still carried considerable prestige outside.

Soon after, the vessel from 【Jishen Xiancheng】 also landed.

A streak of light shot across the horizon, stopping before the vessel and resolving into a young man of extraordinary beauty, also at the Nascent Soul Stage, his eyes sharply divided between black and white, holding a white jade folding fan, his hand gripping the handle so pale it matched the fan's hue.

He was the Nascent Soul cultivator dispatched to greet them upon receiving the news.

A calm smile touched his lips as he raised his hands in greeting, about to speak.

"Get lost."

Yue Zhongfeng glanced at him coldly; his voice, a blend of deep and clear tones, echoed heavily.

It was beautiful—but strangely off.

With a casual wave, terrifying magic power unleashed a howling gale, swatting the young man aside like a fly.

Then, with a light tap of his toe, his figure drifted away, ethereal and weightless.

Those left behind stared blankly, their expressions tinged with fascination.

…

…

Under Zi Ying's guidance, Zhao Ruoming arrived at the 【Zhitui Xiancheng】 governor's mansion.

More precisely, he entered a side hall of the mansion.

"Your Excellency, Immortal Lord, the Immortal Lord from 【Zhitui Xiancheng】 has been summoned," Zi Ying said, bowing outside the door, not daring to step in.

"Understood. Withdraw."

A voice came from within, cold and stern.

Zi Ying trembled, as if terrified.

"Yes."

Without straightening, she retreated backward, still bowed.

Zhao Ruoming frowned but stepped inside anyway.

Yet as soon as he entered, he felt several gazes turn toward him.

Through the glow of the spirit-jade pearls embedded in the ceiling, he saw five people inside: four sat on purple sandalwood chairs padded with spirit-silk cushions, each with distinct temperaments and appearances.

One stood behind the long table at the head, clad in a moon-white wide-sleeved robe, golden embroidery on the cuffs glowing faintly; when the sleeves fluttered, three rings of blue jade beads on his wrist clinked like spring water striking stone.

In his hand, a spirit jade purple-brush writing brush was at this very moment writing something on the xuan paper spread across the long desk.

Zhao Ruoming: "..."

A bunch of Soul Transformation cultivators with flimsy foundations whom he could pinch to death with a snap, putting on airs here?

Just at this moment, the person seated at the very top set down the brush in his hand.

A smile on his face, he looked at Zhao Ruoming and said: "Should I call you the newly appointed Hall Master of 【Green Talisman Hall】? Or a visitor from beyond the heavens?"

This group of peculiar Soul Transformation cultivators who were not bound by the Heaven's Rail spirit-drawing system — the Immortal Venerables had already discerned that they were not cultivators of this world.

Moreover... they had already been plotting to capture one, in order to glimpse their origins.

If there was also a complete world behind them...

Once it was conquered, they might very well find a way to explore other worlds, as well as methods to avoid or optimize the Mysterious Aspect Heaven's Rail.

Of course, the timing was not yet ripe; those peculiar methods of theirs — the Immortal Venerables had not yet found a counter-strategy.

Added to that, the strength of the forces or world behind them could not yet be confirmed, so for now they did not plan to make a move.

"Mm?"

His own identity had been processed entirely through the proper formalities of this world.

"Out of nowhere a few Soul Transformation cultivators pop up, and in such a remote immortal city — you don't think we're all fools, do you?" the City Lord said, shaking his head.

In these days, which Soul Transformation cultivator doesn't carry a Mysterious Aspect Heaven's Rail loan on their back?

Even I, a direct blood relative of a Return-to-Void Immortal Venerable, am not exempt.

Not a trace of a loan on you — if we still couldn't see through it with that, then there really would be ghosts!

"..."

According to the standard trope, shouldn't you all be the fools?

Or at least figure it out a bit later.

How is it that the moment you arrived you guessed straight through my identity...

The opponents are a bit too clever, the teammates a bit abnormal — this Xian Sect Grand Competition is truly grueling.

"So what is it you're trying to say?"

Having been recognized, Zhao Ruoming was not the least bit flustered.

"I don't wish to say anything in particular — I only wish to reach a cooperation with you," the City Lord said, walking around the long desk. "Between you and your fellow travelers, there seems to be a competitive relationship?"

Zhao Ruoming swept his gaze across the few of them and gave a contemptuous snort: "Just the lot of you?"

These words could be said to be quite the slight.

Yet none of the five Soul Transformation cultivators present, the City Lord included, showed the slightest sign of annoyance.

"Your abilities are astonishing, your combat power unmatched — it is naturally difficult for the likes of us to offer much help."

This period of time had already proven that this group of visitors from beyond the heavens was very strong — Soul Transformation cultivators of the same realm could not last even a single exchange against them.

"But what if a Return-to-Void Immortal Venerable were to take action personally?"

"They would be willing to act?"

"Of course they would." Seeing that this visitor from beyond the heavens was somewhat tempted, the City Lord smiled. "Your abilities are world-shaking, your combat power unmatched — yet you were dispatched to carry out a mission where one could fall at any moment. Could it be that you have no desire to change your own circumstances?"

Abilities world-shaking, combat power unmatched...

What the hell are you being sarcastic at, huh!

But Zhao Ruoming still went along with the topic and asked: "What do you mean by that?"

"The immortal path is arduous; the painstaking cultivation of the likes of us is ultimately for the sake of advancing one step further," the City Lord said, his tone filled with feeling — and this time it was genuine.

Cultivating in this world is truly not easy!

"With foundations and abilities such as yours, if you are willing to cooperate with us, it is by no means impossible to glimpse the throne of Return-to-Void."

That single sentence directly rendered Zhao Ruoming — Son of the True Immortal · Innate Ability Bearer · Prodigy of the Supreme Dao Sect — utterly silent.

Not impossible to glimpse the throne of Return-to-Void?

Are you fucking cursing me here!

"So you want me to be a world-traitor?"

A minor world whose highest is merely Return-to-Void, and you're already eyeing our world?! (End of this chapter)