Isn't it worse than before

The exterior of the Immortal Pavilion was adorned with carved dragons and painted phoenixes. Even the dragon patterns and colors exclusively reserved for the royal family could all be seen here.

Yellow glazed tiles covered the roof, while exquisitely carved statues of five-clawed dragons crawled on both sides. The vermilion doors were wide open, revealing the even more magnificent architecture inside the Immortal Pavilion.

Ye Wanzhou cautiously raised her head, intending to just take a quick peek. However, with just one glance, she found herself completely unable to look away.

She caught fish on the river, and even though she had reservations and dared not look too closely, she would still wonder... what kind of scene lay inside this Immortal Pavilion.

Was it magnificent and opulent, having everything one could wish for? Was it filled with people riding clouds and mist, or possessing the transcendent aura of celestial beings?

No matter how Ye Wanzhou imagined it, sometimes she would feel that her thoughts were a bit too outrageous. But now she realized... all of this still exceeded her imagination.

It wasn't the pavilion itself, but the immortals.

Light and splendor flowed inside the Immortal Pavilion. Sometimes, the architecture was far inferior to the people. Various immortals wore garments that were unmistakably luxurious at a single glance. With a mere lift of their eyes, they exuded an overbearing aura, as if the heavens and earth were entirely in their grasp.

Golden glazed wine cups floated on their own, shedding golden light downwards.

The demeanor of the immortals far surpassed the carved dragons and painted phoenixes, and also far surpassed this opulent Immortal Pavilion.

No wonder the people of the world all loved to cultivate immortality. All kinds of external luxury could not compare to personal perfection.

Ye Wanzhou naturally understood that she had the aptitude for cultivating immortality; after all, she could sense what the immortals called immortal qi.

However, she came from a poor background and lacked resources, so this path to immortality was cut off.

Ye Wanzhou had made a living on this lake for quite some time, so naturally, she had heard and seen a lot.

Immortals were detached, and naturally, they were also callous.

Ye Wanzhou originally had emotional attachments, so naturally, she couldn't leave her life to the whims of others.

Now that an immortal had come looking for her, she understood that her talent had been observed. She no longer had any attachments; she was just a drifting duckweed habitually tied to a boat.

Although the immortal spoke politely, truly rejecting an immortal's face would definitely not be a good choice.

While Zhang Miaoyu was sizing up Ye Wanzhou, how could Ye Wanzhou not be observing Zhang Miaoyu?

In the end, Ye Wanzhou made her choice—she would take the gamble!

Alone on a boat, she had no backing behind her.

If Ye Wanzhou truly lacked any forethought and courage, how would she dare to fish for a living on this man-eating lake?

Zhang Miaoyu's steps were calm as she led the shocked Ye Wanzhou into the Immortal Pavilion.

Looking at the small threshold, Ye Wanzhou gritted her teeth inwardly and stepped inside.

She understood that no matter what she encountered at this moment, she could no longer show a panicked expression.

Ye Wanzhou kept her head down and stepped over the threshold.

The next moment, the previously somewhat noisy pavilion instantly fell silent.

Ye Wanzhou raised her head and looked around, only to see all the immortals standing on the first floor gazing reverently in her direction.

The cultivators on the first floor all stood up and bowed together.

Zhang Miaoyu swept her gaze over them and then nodded slightly.

Most of the people on the first floor were cultivators at the Qi Condensation stage and the early Foundation Establishment stage. In her team leader's words—they were all small fries.

Cultivators also had to navigate social graces and worldly affairs. In the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, the Golden Core realm was already considered a master, a senior, an old monster in the mouths of others.

Naturally, it was impossible for them to wait together with Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment cultivators on the first floor.

"This Daoist Master."

A plainly dressed young man, looking like a shop assistant, quickly walked over with a sycophantic smile on his face, saying,

"Please proceed to the VIP section on the third floor. If you have any needs, I can serve by the Daoist Master's side. If you have any requests, please feel free to give the order."

"No need."

Zhang Miaoyu gently shook her head, then raised her eyes to look at the third floor.

She saw a few acquaintances already leaning against the railing, their gazes fixed on Zhang Miaoyu.

In the past, Li Yingling had built a rather massive team in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent. The Golden Core rogue cultivators in this continent shared what they had and lacked with each other, so naturally, people knew one another.

"Long time no see. Do you still remember me?"

A soft-voiced woman leaned against the railing and said with a smile, "I haven't seen you in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent for a long time. Rumor has it that you went to the Central Continent with that genius from the Central Continent and joined a major sect."

"After all, you left together with that genius."

Zhang Miaoyu said in a calm tone, "Of course I remember. I just didn't expect you to be here as well."

By the railing on the third floor, a middle-aged man spoke with a contemptuous laugh:

"I also didn't expect you to be here."

"What, couldn't make it working with Yingling anymore? Brought a mortal here to hand in intel?"

"If that's the case, you should have said so earlier. I actually have quite a bit of intelligence. I might even be able to spare a couple of pieces for you. Why rely on some Central Continent genius? When it comes down to it, don't you have to rely on yourself?"

Zhang Miaoyu's expression remained calm, a smile lingering at the corners of her mouth. "So, you're saying you have a lot of intelligence?"

The middle-aged man lowered his brow, his tone frivolous:

"Naturally. Why, do you want to know?"

Zhang Miaoyu chuckled softly. She then took out a token from her spatial ring and injected spiritual energy into it.

A profound and mysterious aura surged out from the token and rippled outward.

The interior of the pavilion instantly fell dead silent.

The middle-aged man's frivolous demeanor instantly vanished, his expression turning into one of terror.

Zhang Miaoyu slightly raised her hand. Countless spirit stones and medicinal pills poured out from her spatial ring, falling to the ground with a sudden burst of spiritual light.

"Since we're acquaintances and you have so much intelligence, let's start with you." Zhang Miaoyu lifted her gaze to look at the middle-aged man who had spoken earlier.

The middle-aged man on the third floor looked as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, but he quickly cupped his hands and said:

"I did not know you were a Special Envoy of the Heavenly Sect. Please forgive my offense."

"Oh? Do you have so much intelligence that you don't know where to start?" Zhang Miaoyu didn't acknowledge his apology, shifting to say, "Then, I'll start it off for you."

Zhang Miaoyu's tone suddenly turned freezing cold as she questioned harshly:

"Let me ask you! Is the name Yingling something you have the right to say?"

The middle-aged man's expression showed a hint of panic. "It was my mistake."

"Did you not understand what I said?"

"It is not a name I have the right to say."

Zhang Miaoyu glared at him with chilling eyes. "Scram."

The middle-aged man didn't hesitate at all; he just left quickly with a flustered expression.

Zhang Miaoyu swept her gaze over the third floor and the floors above. She saw that the originally varied expressions had now all turned into envy and ingratiation.

Facing these gazes, Zhang Miaoyu originally thought she would feel a surging sense of superiority, but she didn't.

Perhaps it was because she had interacted so much with the disciples of the Eighteen Immortal Sects. In comparison...

The next moment, a figure darted in through the doorway.

Zhang Miaoyu looked over—this time, it truly was an old acquaintance from the past, and one she had an excellent relationship with. They were rogue cultivator friends who had truly experienced life and death together.

The mature-looking woman stared at Zhang Miaoyu in shock, her eyes full of utter joy. She smiled and said:

"I heard your voice from the lakeside. I didn't expect it to really be you. You've actually become a Special Envoy?"

"I was really blind before. I didn't expect you to actually make it big following your team leader."

"A Special Envoy of the Heavenly Sect... My sister has actually become a Special Envoy of the Heavenly Sect!"

The mature woman's expression was one of envy, but also extreme pleasant surprise.

Zhang Miaoyu thought for a moment, then smiled and said:

"What's this? Even Daoist Yuyang has to greet me when he sees me."

Hearing this, the mature woman burst into laughter. Naturally, she was the one who had listened to Zhang Miaoyu's past boasting the most. She laughed for a moment, then stifled her amusement and said:

"Doesn't that mean you are even worse off than before? Back then, you claimed you could thrash Daoist Yuyang with just one hand."