What is an immortal?

Evergreen Island.

The ancient banyans towered on the island, beneath them, Daoist Mu sat quietly by the stone table, holding a black stone that shimmered like stars.

His eyes were fixed on the chessboard, as if pondering the mysteries of heaven and earth.

Opposite him, Nangong Xian'er sat gracefully and dignified, her gaze also following the transformations of the chess game, not daring to be even slightly negligent.

"...It's said that Seven Spirits Daoist's Divine Soul has collapsed, Fire Wing Immortal and the Four-direction Killing Gods have all fallen into Yuan Ming's hands. After that, he even killed Zhong Tuhu, and then..." a cultivator in a black robe whispered, reporting the information that had been sent back from the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range.

At this moment, a gleam of light flashed in Daoist Mu's eyes. He raised his hand and gently placed a stone, the sound of the stone touching the board rang sharply and crisply, like a Jade Pearl landing on the board, clear and pleasant.

Nangong Xian'er gazed at the chessboard, her willow-leaf-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, as if considering how to counter this exquisite move.

"Senior's chess skills are extraordinary; this move is profound and far-reaching, I find it hard to withstand," after a long time, Nangong Xian'er sighed softly, shook her head, and gently placed the piece back into the basket.

Daoist Mu smiled slightly, turned his gaze to a disciple standing by, and said slowly, "The newly established Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals deserves some gesture from Evergreen Island, prepare a generous gift and send it over."

"Senior, should Xian'er personally lead the group to the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals?" Nangong Xian'er asked, her beautiful eyes shifting, soft lips parting.

Daoist Mu shook his head, his eyes deep, as if he could penetrate the void: "No need, since Yuan Ming has already shown his prowess, leave the matter of the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range to him. We need only watch and wait."

"Senior Mu hasn't taken this much interest in a person for many years," Nangong Xian'er mused silently, her bright eyes flickering.

…

Within the Taixuan Sect, in a small pavilion built against the mountain, several cultivators were sitting together, whispering as if discussing something.

"Have you all heard about the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range incident?" one of them sighed.

"Oh? Are you referring to the deeds of the White Emperor City Lord in Beihai City? He single-handedly defeated Seven Spirits Daoist and a group of strong individuals; his strength is truly astonishing," another responded.

"Indeed, there's even a rumor circulating outside, naming him the top below Mahayana Realm, seemingly not an idle rumor," another agreed.

"Hmph, the top below Mahayana Realm? Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? As far as I'm concerned, no matter how strong he is, he might not surpass the Young Master or senior brother," a thin-faced cultivator dismissed with a twist of his lips.

"Senior brother might hold his own, but the Young Master..." another shook their head and said no more.

At this moment, a sound of footsteps approached, and everyone looked up to see Young Master Que Yue coming over with a few attendants.

The discussions abruptly ceased, and everyone fell silent.

Young Master Que Yue's expression was cold and resolute, as if he hadn't heard the conversations, he merely glanced indifferently at them and continued onward.

However, his hearing was excellent, having already heard those words, his heart surged with anger.

Upon returning to his quarters, Young Master Que Yue dismissed his subordinates with a wave and sat alone at the table, taking out a book to peruse.

The more he read, the more restless he became, until he finally slammed the book onto the table, shattering it along with the objects upon it.

"Useless!" he cursed angrily, the darkness of his expression seemingly about to drip water.

Right then, there was a sudden knock at the door.

Young Master Que Yue paused, then regained his composure, asking in a deep voice, "Who is it?"

"It's me."

A familiar voice responded, causing Young Master Que Yue to pause, then he rose and opened the door.

A man in a cyan robe stood at the doorway, his appearance was clear and elegant, with hair tied high and a long beard divided into three strands, his clothes fluttering, his eyes serene.

"Senior brother, why are you here?" Though Young Master Que Yue felt uneasy, he forced a calm demeanor and asked.

The man in the cyan robe did not answer his question but directly asked, "Que Yue, is Zhong Tuhu your man?"

Young Master Que Yue's heart tightened, realizing he could no longer hide it, reluctantly admitting, "Yes, he is my man."

The cyan-robed man heard this, his brow furrowing as he spoke sternly: "Que Yue, though you've been arrogant in the past, you've never stepped out of bounds, and I, along with our master, have always protected you. But if you dare to collude with the remnants of the Three Realms Sect, not even I or our master will spare you!"

"Senior brother jests, how could I possibly conspire with those remnants? You must be mistaken," Young Master Que Yue replied with a quick smile.

The cyan-robed man gave him a deep look, said nothing more, nodded, and turned to leave.

After he left, Young Master Que Yue's expression turned dark once again.

He hit the desk forcefully, a mix of anger and apprehension flashing in his eyes.

"Truly a waste!" he muttered angrily, his heart full of wariness and resentment toward that man.

…

Half a year later, in White Emperor City.

Yuan Ming slowly walked out of Shura Palace, a faint smile on his face.

After half a year of secluded enlightenment, he had initially comprehended the Fire Emperor True Intent, with outstanding results.

Although he wanted to continue his arduous cultivation, considering the days, the day of the Alliance Ceremony was approaching. Wang Fulong had also sent messages urging him multiple times, so he had to pause his training and come out to participate in this grand ceremony.

In the City Lord Mansion, Yuan Ming found Wang Fulong.

Upon seeing Yuan Ming, Wang Fulong's eyes immediately showed a look of relief, as if finding a backbone.

"My lord, you have finally come out of seclusion!"

Wang Fulong let out a long breath, his voice carrying a hint of excitement: "The teams from all major sects have basically settled in White Emperor City to participate in the ceremony. This is the list, please have a look."

With that, he respectfully handed over a Jade Scroll.

Yuan Ming took the Jade Scroll, glanced over it lightly, and asked: "Who is leading the team from Sky Eagle Chamber of Commerce?"

Over the past six months, although Xi Ying had not proactively contacted him, she mentioned last time that she would make a trip back to White Emperor City. Perhaps she would take this opportunity to bring people from the Sky Eagle Chamber of Commerce.

Wang Fulong understood Yuan Ming's concern and shook his head, saying: "The team leader is the Fifth Elder, Xu Na, from Sky Eagle Chamber of Commerce. Lady Xi Ying is not on the visitor list reported."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming frowned slightly, a trace of unease rising in his heart.

He pondered whether to take the initiative to contact Xi Ying and inquire about her situation.

Just then, Wang Fulong's voice sounded again, interrupting his thoughts: "My lord, there is something that I must report to you. The leader sent by Taixuan Sect this time is the Swordsman Qing Ping. Upon his arrival, he specifically asked to meet with you. What do you think..."

"Oh? Where is he now?" Yuan Ming snapped back to reality and asked.

"He is currently staying in the Heavenly Sword District," Wang Fulong immediately replied.

"Did he mention the reason for wanting to see me?" Yuan Ming thought for a moment and asked again.

"No, after I told him you were in seclusion, he didn't insist further and hasn't left his room since he settled in," Wang Fulong shook his head.

Yuan Ming lowered his head, pondering over the intention of Swordsman Qing Ping.

After learning that Young Master Que Yue harbored hostility towards him, he deliberately gathered a lot of intelligence about Taixuan Sect.

Among them, aside from the Mahayana Realm Taixuan Sect Leader, the one who caught his attention the most was this Swordsman Qing Ping.

It is said that Swordsman Qing Ping is a swordsmanship genius, and as the saying goes, "The wind arises from the end of the green grass," he also came from humble beginnings. When he first entered the Taixuan Sect, he was just an Outer Disciple, and the main Cultivation Technique he practiced was merely the introductory Sword technique of Taixuan Sect.

It was precisely with this ordinary Sword technique that he forged ahead, advancing from Qi Refinement to Dharma manifestation, never replacing his main Cultivation Technique, even innovating on his own and refining this Sword technique to an extraordinary level.

Later, the Sect Leader of Taixuan Sect took him in as a Direct Disciple, and since then, the Sword technique inherited in Taixuan Sect has been named after him, known among Taixuan Sect disciples as the "Qingping Sword Technique."

In terms of status and strength within Taixuan Sect, Swordsman Qing Ping surpasses Young Master Que Yue.

There are even rumors that Xizhuang Yuan, one of the Guardians, once sparred with him, with neither able to overcome the other.

In his mind, Yuan Ming secretly speculated that the purpose of Swordsman Qing Ping's visit was most likely related to the matter concerning Zhong Tuhu.

However, judging by his demeanor, it didn't seem like he was here to hold him accountable.

Regardless of his intentions, Yuan Ming felt no fear.

"Since he hasn't sought me out after, then let's not meet," Yuan Ming quickly made up his mind.

Wang Fulong acknowledged with a nod and said no more.

Yuan Ming glanced over the list again, seeing that those from Bright Moon Palace and Heavenly Saint Academy were just elders of early-stage Dharma manifestation, he didn't look any further.

He instructed Wang Fulong to continue preparations for the ceremony, then left on his own to attempt to contact Xi Ying.

To his surprise, just as he sent the message, he received a reply from Xi Ying.

"You've come out of seclusion?" In the Void Communication Array, Xi Ying's face gradually became clear, and the softness and determination between her brows brought warmth to Yuan Ming's heart.

"The Alliance Ceremony is in the next two days. I specifically came out of seclusion to handle matters. How about you? Didn't you say you were planning to come back last time? When exactly will that be?" Yuan Ming asked softly.

Xi Ying shook her head slightly, a trace of helplessness crossing her face: "I initially planned to use the opportunity of the Alliance Ceremony to return, but some unexpected events occurred recently, which delayed the plan. As for when I will return, I find it hard to determine now."

"What kind of unexpected event? Do you need my help?" Yuan Ming frowned upon hearing this, his tone revealing worry.

"You've already helped me a lot. Ever since your heroic deeds in Beihai City spread, life here has been much better, and no one bothers me about the matter of the Heavenly Destiny's Daughter anymore, saving me a lot of effort." Xi Ying looked at him, her beautiful eyes carrying a hint of a smile.

"You still haven't told me, what trouble did you encounter?" Yuan Ming's lips curved slightly, but his heart still concerned about her troubles.

"Actually, it's not too serious, just that the people from Bright Moon Palace discovered I had been cultivating the Moonlight Technique and wanted to take me back for questioning. Fortunately, Daoist Mu vouched for me, and now I've officially joined Bright Moon Palace. Soon, I'll be able to get the mnemonic for the Eighth Layer of the Moonlight Technique, which is a blessing in disguise." Xi Ying took a deep breath and slowly explained the situation.

...

Friendship recommendation, a new book by my friend "Wandering Toad" titled "First Magic World War."

Charlotte Mecklen traversed to the Fars Empire, only wanting to be a public servant on a Different Continent. He's not a combat personnel...

But who would have thought that even a civilian staff would have to go to the battlefield!

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