Meeting of the Talents

Chu Xingchen reached out and took the jade token. He sent his divine sense into it, sighed softly after a moment, and then handed the jade token to the frowning Xu Jin.

Seeing Chu Xingchen hand the jade token to him without hesitation, Xu Jin let out a light breath and reached out to take it.

Daoist Yuyang stood to the side, waiting quietly without speaking.

Xu Jin quickly finished reading the contents of the jade token as well. He looked up at Chu Xingchen and asked:

"You want to do this?"

He had read the message. At first, he thought Cui Hao had encountered some major difficulty, which was why he bypassed him and sought out his own master directly.

As it turned out, Cui Hao hadn't encountered a major difficulty; rather, he wanted to solve one.

If he were really asked to do this, it would indeed be a bit thorny.

Chu Xingchen raised his hand, gesturing for Xu Jin to pass the jade token to Daoist Yuyang so he could take a look. Then, he spoke up:

"Who doesn't know that I, Chu, am extremely protective of my own? If my own disciple makes a request, naturally I will fulfill it if it's within my power. Although Cui Hao usually lacks seriousness, he has never disappointed me when it comes to major matters."

"Furthermore, since this matter is for a righteous cause, I will contribute whatever strength I have."

Daoist Yuyang did not stand on ceremony. He took the jade token, read the message, and after pondering for a moment, said:

"Pressuring the Cloud Dream Pavilion will not be easy, and it may not even be effective. If our three sects exert pressure together, it might cause the other immortal sects to become vigilant."

Chu Xingchen nodded lightly in agreement. Then, changing his tone, he asked:

"Who is the current core disciple of the Cloud Dream Pavilion?"

Xu Jin thought for a moment and said: "The Cloud Dream Pavilion only recently decided on their current core disciple. Her name is Zheng Zhaoling, and she is at the Soul Formation realm."

"It is inconvenient for me to leave the Tianyan Sect at present." Chu Xingchen lowered his eyes. "Invite her over in my name. If my name isn't enough, use Senior Bai's name to invite her to the Tianyan Sect."

Daoist Yuyang roughly understood the method Chu Xingchen planned to use, and proceeded to ask:

"Under what pretext?"

"Since we are inviting someone over, we naturally must give her enough face." Chu Xingchen chuckled lightly. "How about a gathering of heaven's chosen?"

Hearing this, Xu Jin smiled helplessly and said:

"And you are only inviting her? She might not be willing to catch such a hot potato."

Although some of the Eighteen Immortal Sects had yet to determine their current core disciples, many already had. With so many people out there, solely inviting Zheng Zhaoling for a gathering of heaven's chosen...

Although almost no one dared to question Chu Xingchen anymore, Zheng Zhaoling would inevitably be questioned. What gave her the right to suppress everyone else and be the sole guest at this gathering of heaven's chosen?

Chu Xingchen's gaze lifted slightly as he said: "That is exactly why it gives her face. Moreover, if she lacks the drive and doesn't dare to compete with the heaven's chosen of this generation, proving to have a weak temperament, then inviting her would be a waste of time anyway. It would save us time to make other plans."

Daoist Yuyang and Xu Jin both nodded in agreement.

It was indeed so. If she lacked such spirit, even if they invited her, she probably wouldn't be able to influence the Cloud Dream Pavilion much.

Xu Jin spoke up: "Cui Hao is currently gaining experience under my wing, so I am also duty-bound. I can personally go and deliver the invitation."

"You are also a heaven's chosen. If you personally go to deliver it, we would be losing our own face." Chu Xingchen took out a message token, inscribing a message into it as he spoke,

"Furthermore, I don't want the brother I am proud of to run errands. I'll just have a Tianyan Sect disciple handle it later. Inviting her is already giving her enough face."

Hearing this, Xu Jin felt a warmth in his heart and nodded lightly.

After finishing the message in the jade token, Chu Xingchen tapped it lightly with his fingertip, and the jade token shot away through the air. Then, he looked at the two of them, raised his head slightly, and his expression turned cool and detached as he said:

"My two brothers, it is also time for us to properly display our demeanor as heaven's chosen."

Daoist Yuyang smiled faintly, fully revealing the demeanor of a noble Daoist master.

Xu Jin's expression turned serious, his eyes ruthless, and his aura gradually chilled, as if he had reverted back to the High Immortal Lengji of the past.

Xie Lingyu stood to the side, not feeling much fluctuation in her heart.

Just a short while ago, these three had been caught red-handed stealing wine. Two of them had sold out the other while acting pitiful, and at the door, two had coaxed the dumbfounded one, even managing to successfully pacify him.

Truly, she had no more filter for them; even their attempts to act cool fell flat.

Especially Chu Xingchen. He acted shamelessly so often that Xie Lingyu usually had to coax him a bit.

Looking at the three who were already studying how to strike cool poses, Xie Lingyu shook her head lightly in exasperation.

Indeed, it is easy to pick up bad habits but hard to learn good ones.

Three days later.

At the main gate of the Tianyan Sect's mountain array.

A young girl, looking around sixteen or seventeen, wearing a light blue armored skirt and with two short swords hanging from her waist, raised her eyes to look at the Tianyan Sect within the grand array. Her expression was aloof and her gaze sharp.

Standing behind her were two cultivators from the Cloud Dream Pavilion—one at the Body Integration realm and the other at the Mahayana realm.

Without a doubt, this was the current core disciple of the Cloud Dream Pavilion that Xu Jin had mentioned—Zheng Zhaoling.

Zheng Zhaoling turned her gaze back and cupped her hands toward the two Cloud Dream Pavilion cultivators:

"Since we have arrived at the Tianyan Sect, I won't trouble the two of you to accompany me to the meeting. Please rest for a while."

The Body Integration cultivator hesitated slightly and started to speak: "Chu..."

Before he could finish, the accompanying Mahayana cultivator raised his hand to stop him and took over the conversation:

"Now that we have reached the Tianyan Sect, there is naturally no need to worry about your safety. The road ahead is long; it is a good thing for you to experience more on your own and witness the demeanor of others."

Hearing this, the Body Integration cultivator could only nod lightly in agreement.

Among the Eighteen Immortal Sects, the Cloud Dream Pavilion had a rather weak presence.

Although they occupied a spirit vein and their strength was naturally not to be underestimated, they almost never displayed any power in the Central Continent. Aside from directly governing the Cloud Dream Marsh in Beiju Luzhou, they did not control any other territory.

They usually didn't participate in any bustling events either.

However, Chu Xingchen had suddenly sent a jade token, and it was displayed directly at the main gate of the Cloud Dream Pavilion. The writing was quite impassioned and surging, which could be summarized as follows:

There are countless intelligent and talented individuals in the world, but looking across the entire realm, true heaven's chosen are exceedingly rare. Aside from Chu Xingchen, Xu Jin, and Daoist Yuyang, Chu Xingchen felt that Zheng Zhaoling was the only other one. Therefore, for this gathering of heaven's chosen, only Zheng Zhaoling was invited.

It was written with great passion, yet it was also incredibly bizarre.

Zheng Zhaoling also adhered to the Cloud Dream Pavilion's restrained way of doing things. She hadn't fought much in the outside world, and there were core disciples with far greater reputations than hers.

Why seek her out for no apparent reason?

Furthermore, putting it up like a large poster right at their main gate, as if afraid that others wouldn't know.

If she didn't accept, Zheng Zhaoling's reputation would be as good as ruined.

Having been selected as the current core disciple of the Cloud Dream Pavilion, Zheng Zhaoling had naturally gone through countless selections and comparisons. How could she not have a competitive spirit in her heart?

She also wanted to see just how much demeanor Chu Xingchen possessed—the man who had already become a legend, who could execute punishment on behalf of the heavens, and who was known as the Heavenly Daoist!

Whatever the matter was, she would know upon seeing him!

Right or wrong, she would naturally make her own judgment!

A Tianyan Sect disciple beside Zheng Zhaoling cupped his hands and said:

"Martial Uncle-Grandmaster Chu has already instructed us. Please follow me."

Zheng Zhaoling nodded lightly.

The Tianyan Sect disciple led the way toward the Loving Family Peak.

Passing through an isolated barrier.

The Tianyan Sect disciple brought Zheng Zhaoling to the mountain gate, stopped in his tracks, and said:

"This is the place."

Zheng Zhaoling nodded lightly and walked forward alone. Her gaze naturally lifted, and she inevitably saw the plaque hanging high above.

A Close and Loving Family.

Seeing this, Zheng Zhaoling was slightly stunned.

This name... are we really hanging it over the main gate?

Wouldn't that be a bit awkward?