The Grand Ceremony of Qingyun

The grandeur of the Qingyun Sect's centennial celebration was a spectacle rarely witnessed in a hundred years across the East Hua Divine Continent.

The main peak's plaza was paved with Ten-Millennium Cloud-Pattern Jade, and every jade brick was engraved with Spirit-Gathering Runes. When the noon sunlight cascaded down, the entire square shimmered with a gilded luster, resembling a fairyland.

The disciples of the Qingyun Sect were lined up according to their cultivation realms. The outer sect disciples wore green cloth Daoist robes with coarse sashes tied around their waists, their expressions solemn.

The inner sect disciples wore brocade robes embroidered with flowing cloud patterns, with silver jade pendants hanging from their waists, their auras steady and composed.

The core disciples, however, were clad in purple robes trimmed with gold. Their jade pendants were crafted from red gold and carved with the characters for "Qingyun." Each of them possessed an arrogant gaze, exuding the confidence of the sect's chosen elites.

They stood in neat formation on the plaza, clutching the standard-issue spiritual swords of the Qingyun Sect.

On the observation platform to the east of the plaza, the sect leaders and elders of over thirty sects sat in attendance.

A leader of the Universe Sect looked at the grand scene in the plaza and whispered to the Master of the Myriad Beast Gate beside him, "The Qingyun Sect is making quite a stir this time. That old fox Qin Tianya is already at the peak of the Enlightenment Realm; I fear he might have already broken through to the Mahayana Realm."

The Master of the Myriad Beast Gate frowned slightly. "If the Qingyun Sect adds another Mahayana cultivator, they might truly become the number one sect in East Hua."

Before his voice had even faded, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed from behind the sacrificial altar.

Three elderly men walked out slowly. The one in the lead, Qingyunzi, had hair and beard as white as snow. He wore a Daoist robe embroidered with the sun, moon, and stars. With every step he took leaning on his dragon-head cane, a golden ripple would spread across the ground.

Elder Ling Qing was dressed in green robes. His face appeared middle-aged, but in reality, he had sustained his life for who knows how many years through Wood attribute cultivation. As for Elder Xuan Sha, he was wrapped in black robes, his expression sinister and gloomy. The aura around him was bone-chillingly cold, making the surrounding air seem as if it were about to freeze into frost.

Many visiting elders and sect leaders sensed that something was amiss upon seeing this scene.

The three Mahayana Realm ancestors of the Qingyun Sect had appeared together?

This...

Was something major about to happen?

"Sect Master Qin was ambushed and assassinated by an evil cultivator while traveling abroad. Today's grand ceremony will be presided over by this old man."

Qingyunzi's voice was aged but carried an unquestionable majesty as it spread throughout the venue via spiritual energy.

Assassinated by an evil cultivator?

Thi-this... how is that possible?!

That was the Sect Master of the Qingyun Sect!

The disciples on the plaza instantly went into an uproar, and the expressions of the various sect leaders changed drastically—Qin Tianya was the pillar of the Qingyun Sect. If something had happened to him, how could the Qingyun Sect still dare to be so ostentatious?

This...

What kind of evil cultivator could do such a thing?

Before the crowd could digest the news, Qingyunzi suddenly raised his voice.

"In light of the incident with the evil cultivator, today, this old man has a major announcement to make!"

"To hunt down that evil cultivator, we are forming the 'Qingyun Alliance.' All sects in the East Hua Divine Continent must join. With the Qingyun Sect as the head, we shall share spirit vein resources and obey a unified command!"

As soon as these words came out, the entire audience was in an uproar.

Setting aside the formation of the Qingyun Alliance to deal with an evil cultivator, and ignoring the demand that the Qingyun Sect lead it...

Sharing spirit vein resources?

How was this sentence any different from armed robbery?!

If they truly obeyed the Qingyun Sect, wouldn't their own sects' resources be swallowed up in the future?

"Preposterous!" A sect leader stood up abruptly, trembling with rage. "The Qingyun Sect intends to annex the other sects! My Scarlet Cloud Sect will never agree to this!"

"Audacious!"

A trace of ruthlessness flashed through Elder Ling Qing's eyes. He abruptly raised his right hand, and a beam of condensed Wood attribute spiritual energy shot out, instantly piercing through the other party's protective spiritual light!

With a dull thud, the spiritual energy punched through the sect leader's chest, sending blood splattering.

He looked at Elder Ling Qing in disbelief, his body going limp as he collapsed onto the observation platform, dead in an instant.

His physical body destroyed, his divine soul extinguished!

This...

They actually dared to do such a thing?

Killing someone over a single disagreement!

The faces of the present sect leaders and elders turned ashen, yet no one dared to say a word—standing before them were three Mahayana Realm cultivators. This was no joke. Most of these sect leaders were only at the Enlightenment Realm, and some had not even reached that stage.

If they killed, they killed; there was absolutely no reasoning with them.

At this moment, the other sects turned their gazes toward the other top-tier sects.

Those few sects also had Mahayana Realm experts standing guard. Although few in number, if they united, they would not need to fear the Qingyun Sect.

But in the next second, they were disappointed.

One of the top sect leaders stood up. "To form an alliance with the Qingyun Sect as the head to combat evil cultivators... I, the One Origin Sect, have no objection."

As that sect leader spoke, the other top sect leaders also chimed in with their agreement.

"This... how can this be..."

"Could it be that the Upper Three Sects have colluded? Are they going to carve up our sects' resources?"

"This... this is simply inhuman."

The sect leaders below whispered among themselves, but because the Scarlet Cloud Sect Leader had just been killed on the spot, they didn't even have the courage to stand up and resist.

"Very well, it seems everyone has no objections," Qingyunzi said indifferently. "To ensure that no spies of the evil cultivator appear within the Qingyun Alliance, I will plant a soul imprint in the sea of consciousness of every sect leader here..."

This single sentence caused the faces of the sect leaders, who had managed to remain somewhat calm, to change drastically. They immediately stood up. "Qingyunzi, are you insane?!"

"How is that possible?!"

If the previous demand was merely plundering resources, what Qingyunzi was saying now was tantamount to demanding everyone's lives!

What was the difference between this and handing over their own lives?

If they were truly going to hand over their lives, they might as well attack together and fight to the death with the people here!

"Those with objections may step forward," Qingyunzi said faintly.

A single sentence, yet it was like a basin of ice water, chilling everyone to the bone.

The moment Qingyunzi's voice fell, the auras of the three Mahayana ancestors erupted simultaneously!

A golden pressure swept across the entire venue like a tidal wave!

The pressure of three Mahayana Realm cultivators intertwined, forming an invisible giant net that shrouded the entire plaza.

The faces of the various sect leaders turned pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Many were even forced to their knees by the pressure, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths.

The few sect leaders who had just risen to resist were now covered in cold sweat—they knew that the Qingyun Sect was dead set on controlling all the sects. The so-called "evil cultivator" was merely an excuse. If they did not submit today, they would likely suffer the same fate as the Scarlet Cloud Sect Leader.

"What? Does anyone else have an objection?" Qingyunzi looked down at the people below. "Those who understand the times are wise. If you cooperate obediently, this old man can still leave you with a shred of dignity."

Just then, a clear and bright female voice suddenly rang out.

"I object!"

Everyone followed the sound and looked over. A woman in a white dress walked out from the crowd. Her face was cold and aloof, and a faint frost lingered around her body.

Accompanying the woman was a child who looked about five or six years old, though his face bore a maturity inconsistent with his current age as he cast a mocking gaze around him.

Upon seeing the woman, Qingyunzi frowned slightly, but after sensing that she was merely at the Enlightenment Realm, he simply said indifferently, "Who are you?"

"Jade Void Sect, Bai Qianshuang." The woman stared coldly at Qingyunzi, enunciating each word clearly.

The Jade Void Sect?!