Forever Fallen to the Mortal Realm

As his voice faded.

A pin-drop silence filled the hall.

Everyone was somewhat stunned by this last sentence.

A place of romance?

That Gu Chengyin fell in love with Luo Zhao at first sight was no longer doubted by anyone, especially after his extravagant praises just now.

After all, as previously thought, you could say Her Highness the Eldest Princess lacked tact, but you could never say she was ugly.

With Luo Zhao's appearance and bearing, it was entirely possible for her to captivate the heir of a hidden immortal clan at first sight.

Though shocking, it wasn't completely unbelievable.

But was this the right way to use that phrase?

Pledging love implies mutual affection. Could it be...

Thinking of this, countless people discreetly glanced at Luo Zhao, whose expression had already turned extremely ugly.

Could it be that this peerlessly magnificent princess had actually pledged her love to her Junior Preceptor!?

"Junior Preceptor Gu."

Finally, a voice broke the silence.

The one who spoke was none other than the Minister of Personnel, Xiao Jie.

Xiao Jie's eyes stared fixedly at Gu Chengyin as he slowly said,

"You claim to be the sole heir of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan. Do you have any proof?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "sole".

Hearing this, Gu Chengyin sighed softly.

The sigh carried a hint of worldly vicissitudes, as if bearing the weight of the clan's ten-thousand-year decline.

"Proof?"

Gu Chengyin shook his head. "The Azure Cloud Immortal Clan has been hidden from the world for tens of thousands of years and has long since vanished into the river of time."

"Entering the secular world this time, aside from my bloodline, half a fragmented manual, and this..."

He raised his hand and took out an object from his robes.

It was a token made of neither gold nor jade, entirely azure-green, with cloud-like patterns flowing across its surface.

The front of the token was engraved with an archaic "Cloud" character, while the back bore a fragmented map of mountains and rivers.

It was exactly the token he had temporarily created last night after leaving the martial arena, combining the power of the Azure Cloud Art with the records from the "Brief Examination of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan's Relics".

The moment the token appeared, the profound aura in the hall grew a bit denser.

"This is the Azure Cloud Token," Gu Chengyin's voice was calm. "The proof of identity for the direct lineage of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan."

"It's just a pity that in today's world, the number of people who recognize it can probably be counted on one hand."

Right at this moment, Xiao Maoqing stepped forward, pointing at Gu Chengyin and sternly saying:

"Gu Chengyin, stop speaking such nonsense!"

"You say you are the sole heir of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan, but do you know the immortal clan's cultivation methods?!"

This question was extremely tricky.

Since he claimed to be the heir of an immortal clan, wouldn't it be a massive joke if he didn't even know his own clan's cultivation methods?

But if he said he did, the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan had been hidden for tens of thousands of years and had long become a legend. How could Gu Chengyin prove that what he executed was a genuine immortal clan method?

It was a dilemma.

Everyone's gaze once again focused on Gu Chengyin.

Gu Chengyin, however, merely smiled faintly.

"I do not."

He said frankly, his voice ringing clearly throughout the great hall. "The core cultivation method of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan has long been lost."

"Even though I am the sole heir, I was unable to inherit it."

Wild joy flashed in Xiao Maoqing's eyes. This Gu Chengyin was indeed bluffing!

But before the smile on his lips could fully form, he heard Gu Chengyin continue:

"What I cultivate now is a fragmented inheritance passed down from a branch lineage of the immortal clan in the past."

He paused, his gaze suddenly turning to Shangguan Yunying, a meaningful curve forming at the corner of his mouth:

"Which is what all of you are familiar with: the Azure Sword Art."

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

The Azure Sword Art!

The defining cultivation method of the Azure Sword Sect!

Now, with a light and breezy sentence, Gu Chengyin had linked himself to the Azure Sword Sect.

What was even more subtle was...

Shangguan Yunying, the Chief Female Official of the Internal Affairs Department and a Foundation Establishment realm expert, was precisely the biological granddaughter of the current Sect Master of the Azure Sword Sect!

For a moment, countless gazes swept back and forth between Shangguan Yunying and Gu Chengyin.

There was sudden realization, speculation, and profound meaning.

Shangguan Yunying's face was slightly flushed at this moment, but she held her head high and puffed out her chest, meeting those gazes without avoiding them.

She even took half a step forward, the true qi of the Azure Sword Art faintly circulating around her body.

It produced a subtle resonance with the profound aura on Gu Chengyin's body, which was the natural induction between cultivation methods of the same origin.

This silent verification was more convincing than a thousand words.

The nature of a lone heir and an heir with a massive faction standing behind them were worlds apart.

If Gu Chengyin was truly the sole bloodline, then even if his status was noble, he was nothing more than rootless duckweed. Killing him would just be killing him, without causing any future troubles.

But if the Azure Sword Sect was standing behind him...

Then before making a move on Gu Chengyin, one would have to weigh the consequences.

Xiao Maoqing opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

Gu Chengyin was the heir of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan?

This matter was full of loopholes; no matter how one looked at it, it seemed like a temporarily fabricated lie.

But as it happened...

The history of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan couldn't be faked.

The aura and coercion emitted couldn't be faked.

The resonance with the Azure Sword Art couldn't be faked.

Not to mention there was the endorsement of Shangguan Yunying, an heir of the Azure Sword Sect.

It was like an antique placed right in front of you. Logically speaking, it should be fake.

Because everyone knew that the real one was kept in a museum.

But they brought out an appraisal certificate from an authoritative institution and a well-documented record of its provenance.

Even the one in the museum lacked a lid, whereas this one had it.

At this point, no matter how doubtful one felt inside, they had to admit it.

It was real.

The hall fell into an eerie silence.

Upon the dragon throne, Emperor Luo finally spoke again.

"Gu Chengyin."

Just calling out a name made the atmosphere in the entire hall tense up once more.

Gu Chengyin bowed. "I am here."

"You say you are the sole bloodline of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan," Emperor Luo's gaze fell on the Azure Cloud Token as he spoke slowly.

"You also say that you fell in love with Zhao'er at first sight and are willing to swear loyalty to her."

"Then do you know that during the peak of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan, there was an ancestral precept?"

Gu Chengyin's heart skipped a beat, and the contents of the "Brief Examination of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan's Relics" instantly flashed through his mind.

At the same time, he said respectfully, "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

Emperor Luo gave him a deep look and slowly uttered a few words:

"Immortals and mortals are distinct; do not involve yourself in the mundane world."

"The clan's destiny lies with heaven; do not bind it to any mortal dynasty."

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's hearts.

Immortals and mortals are distinct; do not involve yourself in the mundane world.

This meant that the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan was aloof from the world and did not participate in mortal affairs.

The clan's destiny lies with heaven; do not bind it to any mortal dynasty.

This meant that the immortal clan's destiny was self-contained and would absolutely never be bound to any human dynasty.

If Gu Chengyin was truly of the Azure Cloud Immortal Clan's bloodline, then by violating the ancestral precept to enter the world as an official, and even publicly declaring his loyalty to Luo Zhao, wouldn't he be...

Betraying the ancestral precept?!

All eyes once again focused on Gu Chengyin.

This time, even Shangguan Yunying's palms were sweating cold sweat.

Gu Chengyin remained silent for a moment.

Then, he suddenly smiled.

His smile contained helplessness, determination, and a calmness akin to that of a martyr.

He raised his head and looked at Luo Zhao by the jade steps, his gaze gentle yet firm, his voice carrying clearly to every corner of the grand hall:

"The ancestral precepts are as heavy as mountains; I dare not forget them."

"But..."

Gu Chengyin spoke word by word, resonant and powerful:

"If it is for Her Highness's sake, I..."

"Am willing to betray the immortal clan and fall into the mortal realm forever."