Chapter 505: Meeting Begins

The sky is a blue so clear it feels unreal, as if someone had carefully painted it with a brush, even the slightest wrinkle of a cloud bears the sense of meticulous carving.

A few white clouds drift lazily, occasionally covering the sun and casting huge shadows on the ground—those shadows sweep over the Weng Fa Luo Si earth below, Ao He Ma's white stone pillars, the lush branches of the Divine Insight Tree Court.......

All of it flickers in this shifting light and shadow, like a breathing dream.

The round table floats at the very center of this sky.

It is a massive stone table woven from gold and white, its surface etched with intricate patterns—those patterns are the map of Weng Fa Luo Si, each line corresponding to a city‑state below, each node twinkling with faint firelight.

Several chairs surround the round table, each backrest bearing different carvings: some engraved with wings, some entwined with vines, some inlaid with shells, some adorned with daggers.

At this moment, most of the chairs are occupied.

Golden hair flutters gently in the breeze, and A Ge Lai Ya's eyes calmly scan every person present.

Even while merely seated, she exudes an aura that makes others hesitant to approach—not coldness, but a detachment settled after countless years.

Her fingers tap lightly on the armrest, producing a faint "duk‑duk" sound, as if keeping rhythm with her thoughts.

Ti Bao sits to A Ge Lai Ya's right.

Calling her "Da Ti Bao" is no exaggeration—she already appears as a mature woman, her gentle face tinged with playfulness, tall figure, dressed in a white robe.

Yet her eyes remain the clear, bottomless childlike gaze, now curved into two crescents, curiously observing everyone present.

She props her elbows on the table, supporting her cheek.

"A Ya, you're so serious."

Ti Bao murmurs softly, her voice neither loud nor quiet, just enough for everyone present to hear.

A Ge Lai Ya's eyelid twitches, without responding.

Beside Ti Bao sits Ke Xia.

The scholar today wears an especially ornate dark‑green robe, embroidered all over with Earth Beasts—viewed from the front, at least twenty different Earth Beasts are making faces at him.

He himself, however, looks solemn, one hand propping his chin, his gradient eyes fixed on the void before him, as if pondering some profound philosophical question.

But if observed closely, one can see his mouth corner occasionally twitching uncontrollably, as if holding something back.

Xi Lian sits opposite Ke Xia.

She wears a light‑colored dress, pink long hair draped over her shoulders, radiating a soothing gentle light that puts others at ease.

As one of the earliest rescued Golden Descendants, she has grown accustomed to recent events; now she holds a tea cup of unknown origin, sipping small sips, occasionally looking up at those around her, a smile in her eyes.

XiaDie sits in the corner.

Her silver hair fades into a faint violet at the tips, shimmering with a dreamlike sheen in the sunlight.

Her hands are folded on her knees, posture dignified yet distant, her purple eyes lowered, thoughts unreadable.

Wan Di sits beside XiaDie.

Even while merely seated, the crown prince's poised bearing exudes a sharp readiness to draw his sword at any moment.

His posture is upright, hands folded on the table, his gaze periodically sweeping each person present—a warrior's instinct, even here.

Feng Jin sits diagonally opposite Wan Di.

Pink twin‑tails sway gently in the breeze, and the ornament on her hat quivers in tandem.

She lowers her head, pulls out a feather from somewhere, and attentively toys with the little Xiao Yi Ka beside her, who now stretches and contracts with her teasing.

She occasionally lifts her head to glance around.

There are two empty seats beside XiaDie.

One belongs to Sai Fei Er—the rogue thief who is now far away on Xianzhou Luofu, engaged in who‑knows‑what.

The other is Bai E's—the highest‑backed chair, carved with a sun‑wheel motif, now empty, its surface covered with a thin layer of frost.

It is a seal's trace, also a reminder to everyone present that a companion still awaits rescue.

Just as everyone is lost in their thoughts, the door beside the round table opens.

The door materializes out of void, a golden frame, its panels engraved with scales of balance and law.

The door swings open, and two people step in, one after the other.

The one entering first is Ke Lv De La.

She is not tall—indeed, if she were to stand, she would likely be the smallest among all present.

Yet her gait exudes an undeniable authority, the bearing only those who have truly wielded power possess.

She then walks to the seat prepared especially for her—the chair that rises a full span above the others.

No choice, height insufficient, chair compensates.

Ke Lv De La sits without a flicker of color, even elegantly adjusting her robe, as if that half‑meter‑higher seat were the most natural arrangement.

Her gaze passes over the round table, landing on A Ge Lai Ya.

"Golden Weave Marquis."

Her voice is cool, carrying a hint of official business, "Let's begin."

HaiSeYin follows behind her, moving silently to her own seat.

She says not a single word from start to finish, merely nodding slightly at those present before sitting quietly.

A Ge Lai Ya stands up.

Her movement is slow, slow enough for everyone to focus their attention on her.

Golden hair glints faintly in the sunlight, her eyes scanning every face in the room.

"Then."

Her voice is not loud, yet it reaches each person's ears clearly, "The first Golden Conference officially begins."

She pauses, her gaze falling on Sai Fei Er's empty seat, then sweeping over Bai E's frost‑covered chair.

"Although two are temporarily unable to attend, the agenda cannot be delayed."

A Ge Lai Ya sits again, hands folded on the table.

"Today's agenda has only one item."

Her gaze deepened, as if scrutinizing something, and also as if weighing something.

"Heimu."

When that name was spoken, the atmosphere at the round table instantly grew subtle.

Ti Bao, holding the cheek of her hand, changed her posture; Xi Lian paused briefly after setting down her tea cup; Feng Jin's hand that was teasing Xiao Yi Ka halted in midair.

A Ge Lai Ya continued, "She is the one who rescued us. This point is beyond doubt."

Her tone was Calm, as if stating a fact, "But her connection with Iron Tomb is also a fact."

She looked at Xi Lian, then at Ti Bao, and finally at Na Ke Xia.

"You three have spent the longest time with her. I need to know—what kind of existence is she, exactly?"

Xi Lian set down her tea cup and gave a slight smile.

That smile was gentle, yet carried a few indescribably complex notes.

"She…"

Xi Lian thought for a moment, seeming to weigh her words, "She is a very… interesting person."

"Interesting?"

Wan Di's eyebrows furrowed, "That word is too vague."

"Then say it another way."

Xi Lian was not annoyed, still speaking in that warm, gentle tone, "She saved us, that needs no doubt. Yet at the same time, she indeed has countless ties to Iron Tomb—because she herself was born from Iron Tomb."

The atmosphere at the round table grew even more solemn.

The name "Iron Tomb" was familiar to everyone present.

It is a creation of Destruction, and also the greatest threat.

And now, they have been rescued by an existence that has a direct link to Iron Tomb.

Viewed from any angle, it seems a bit… subtle, even questionable.

"But she does not treat us as pawns."